Day Is Gone
by Amoral-Loyaler
Summary: Their lives were kept separate, but when John Winchester goes missing worlds collide. Dean and Sam meet another hunter, Grace, who knows far more than she should. But there's something about her that Dean cannot ignore. Can they set aside their differences and work together? (Dean x OC) Season 1-3.
1. Chapter 1

**October 13, 1992- Rapid City, South Dakota**

John Winchester looked down at the little girl before him. Her wounds were mostly superficial, but there were going to be scars; both mental and physical. Blood was streaked across her face; her dark hair completely matted down. John was surprised she was still breathing. The only way he was sure she was, was due to the faint pulse he felt on her wrist. Her dark blue eyes stared up at him, but they were completely void of emotion. In every child he ever came across he always saw his boys. What if this was Sam or Dean? His chest tightened at the thought.

John glanced at the bodies of her parents lying across the room. They had been possessed, the only demonic possession he had heard about for nearly seven years. Usually they were rare. He hadn't wanted to kill them in front of her, in fact he wasn't sure when she had even entered the room. Had she seen?

He knelt down to be at eye level with her. He was unsure of what he should say and had no idea what he was going to do with her. A child complicates things and he knew from following her parents around for three weeks now that there was no family around. He also was not sure how long her parents were possessed or what conditions she had really been living in.

"What's your name sweetheart?" John asked, even though he already knows. Her name was Grace. She was six years old and attended the elementary school up the street. She spent a lot of time alone and hid outside when her 'parents' argue.

Her eyes flickered behind him and then she looked square into his eyes, "Grace." Her voice was soft like he imagined it would be.

"How old are you?" He was asking to make sure she is at least aware and not too traumatized by what happened. Most children wouldn't even be speaking at this point.

"Six."

John shook his head. She as too young but that's how it always seemed to go.

"Okay Grace, I'm going to take you somewhere safe. Can I do that?" He asked the girl.

She nodded. Without hesitation she took his hand and waited for his guidance. She felt safe with the man and she was not sure why. John looked down at her tiny hand in his. Blood tinged her pale skin, the contrast against his hand obvious. John stood up slowly and pulled out his cell phone. It rang once before he got an answer.

"Bobby? It's John. I'm cashing in on that favor." John hoped for Graces sake that this was going to work.

 **February 3, 1993- Sioux Falls, North Dakota**

Bobby knew seven years old was too young to be learning how to shoot a gun, but he didn't know anything else aside from hunting. When John showed up on his front porch with a bloody child, he had wanted to say no but something inside of him advised against it. He doesn't know how to raise a child, let alone a girl. He wished Karen were still there to help him.

Grace had landed on his front porch a little over five months ago. She had been quiet and slightly withdrawn at first, but now she was more attached to him. She let him hold her when she woke up screaming from her nightmares and he tended to her wounds, hoping to heal her scars.

"Alright move your feet apart a little bit more and keep steady." Bobby added more instructions to his already long list.

Grace followed what she is told to do.

"You ready? Aim, stay steady and pull the trigger slowly." Bobby stood behind her, just in case the kick back was too much. It's a small revolver, but he can't help but worry.

He heard the 'pop' of the gun and felt Grace slightly stumble back. He saw the tin can being knocked over and pride flared in his chest. Her first shot, a direct hit.

"I'll be damned, you're a natural." He looked down at Grace.

It's one of those rare moments when she is grinning unabashedly. Her hands are shaking from the vibrations and the adrenaline. She was quiet, but on the inside she was giddy. Her life was not going in the normal direction, but this felt normal for her.

"Can you do it again?" Bobby asked just to see if she could.

Grace nodded, "Yes."

And she proved that she could.

 **May 3, 1993 – Sioux Falls, North Dakota**

John stepped out of the Impala and was welcomed by Grace running to him. He noticed that she had gotten taller in the last two years. He laughed as she snuggled into him. John called frequently to make sure that she was okay, that she was as happy as she could possibly be. He hadn't seen her for a few months, but he kept contact no matter what. Bobby stood and watched from the porch, his arms crossed.

"How are you kid?" John asked as he set her back on the ground.

"Good. Uncle Bobby taught me how to shoot and now he's teaching me how to make silver bullets." Grace smiled up at John.

John glanced at Bobby and they both greet each other with nod. "I'm impressed. You're missing a tooth? How'd that happen?" John asked her as they walk towards the front of the house.

"I pulled it." Grace tells him.

John laughed again.

Bobby opened the front door and they all walked in. He wondered why John had chosen this afternoon to show up and where his boys were. Bobby glanced down and noticed that Grace is holding his hand. He doesn't allow his thoughts to linger on that.

"How are Sam and Dean?" Bobby asked while Grace sat down. She had never met either of John's sons, but was always curious about them.

John replied, "Getting into trouble. They're good though. Sammy likes school and Dean…well he's not much of the school type," he paused, "Grace, you go to school?"

Bobby ignored that John didn't ask him instead.

Grace flushed and looked away, her cheeks starting to redden.

John raised his eyebrow, "What?"

Bobby cleared his throat and replied, "Schooling ain't for Grace."

John was surprised at how angry the comment made him. In his mind Grace is like a daughter he never had. He wanted the best provided for her. The thought flashed in his mind that maybe Bobby's is not the best place for her.

"What happened?"

"I got in a fight. And my pocket knife got me in trouble." Grace feebly responded.

John was in disbelief, "You have a pocket knife?"

"I keep it in my shoe. They found it." Grace sighed almost dramatically.

"Who found it?" John keeps the interrogation going.

"My teacher."

"How?"

"My shoe fell off." Grace seemed so innocent, her cheeks bright red. John stared at her. Her hair is in a messy ponytail; she is dressed in clothes too big and boyish. There is a scrape on her chin. She already looks like a hunter in the making. But John doesn't like it.

John chuckled, "Grace, why don't you run upstairs? I have to talk to Bobby really fast."

Grace knows an order when she hears one. She smiled a toothless grin and left off to her bedroom. John waited until he heard her run up the stairs. Bobby let out a sigh he had not realized he was retaining and took his hat off.

"Bobby, she's a little girl." John tried not to sound frustrated.

"You think I don't know that? You show up here with a bloody little kid what am I supposed to do? I don't know how to be a father, I'm doing what I can." Bobby kept his voice low.

"She could have a normal life." John muttered.

"Oh really? How?"

John shook his head, "Maybe this was a bad idea after all."

"She's the happiest she's been since she got here. She's a natural shot and she likes learning. I'm not saying she's going to be a hunter, but this is what I can offer her and there's no forgetting about what she's seen. Normal left the moment her parents became demons." Bobby couldn't control his anger and he felt fear flare in his chest at the thought of Grace not being around. He was already protective of her.

John took a breath, "Get her new clothes, get her in school, and take care of her."

"Don't tell me how to parent when your boys are who knows where." Bobby gritted out.

John clenched his jaw. Fatherhood was a sore spot for him. He knew it would have been different if Mary had still been alive. If he had never been a hunter, Sam and Dean could have had a normal life. But that wasn't in the cards.

"Alright Bobby."

Bobby put his hat back on, "I think it's best you don't come around anymore."

John stared at him, anger slowly building inside of him.

"Call, write letters, what have you, but that's it." Bobby drew the lines. He would not deal with this every time John Winchester decided to stroll into town, not when he was the one taking care of her on his own.

Just then Grace came back into the room. "Can I come in now?" She asked, her voice seeming so small.

John nodded.

Grace came to stand beside him, "Why do you look mad?" She asked both men. They shook their heads in perfect unison. Bobby glanced away and allowed for John to say goodbye.

John knelt down and pulled his wallet out of his pocket. He opened it carefully and took a picture of him, Sam, and Dean out. He pulled a pen out of his jacket pocket and swiftly wrote three two phone numbers on it. He put a tiny star beside the top number.

"This is my number, with the star next to it. If you need me and I can't be there, call this bottom one. It's Dean and he will help you. Do you understand?" John explained.

Grace nodded, but was more focused on John, "Are you leaving?"

"I have to go and we might not get to see each other for awhile. But, this picture will help if you get sad. There's me, and my boys. This one's Sam and that's Dean." John showed her. They're sitting on the back of his Impala in the photo and they look happy. Grace wished she had a picture with her family. Sadness swept over her.

John quickly hugged her and Grace returned it eagerly. She was not sure why she felt so drawn to this man who had saved her, but she loved him like he was her own father.

"Bye Gracie." John murmured.

"Bye." She gave him one last smile as John walked from the house. Bobby let out a breath, frustrated.

Grace ran to the front door to watch the Impala speed off. She stood there until the dust has settled back onto the gravel road. She does not notice Bobby standing behind her watching the same spot, but she felt his hand slip onto her shoulder.

"It'll be alright." He whispered.

Grace hoped it would be.

 **July 17, 1998- Sioux Falls, North Dakota**

"Be nice Grace." Bobby awkwardly patted her forward towards the duo before them. All morning he had said that "his ole pal" Brad was visiting with his niece, Nora. Grace hadn't thought much of it. She was used to hunters stopping by occasionally, mostly to see Bobby. But now that she was a little older she usually sat in and listened on the conversations, learning what she could.

This was different however. Brad was a tall man, over six feet tall with a scruffy beard and messy hair. Grace thought he looked like a lumberjack. A girl who looked a little older than her, only because of her height, stood beside him. Her hair was in a ponytail and she wore overalls that were ripped.

"Come on, I'll show you the blueprints." Bobby shook his head and chuckled. Brad tousled Grace's hair and she grimaced. She huffed as soon as he was out of the room.

"He always does that to me." Nora glared past her at her uncle.

"Bobby too." Grace murmured shyly.

"Does he let you hunt yet?" Nora asked, her voice full of curiosity.

"Not yet, but he lets me shoot. What about you?" Grace asked.

Nora shook her head, "Soon though."

"Your parents don't care?" Grace was in awe.

Nora shrugged, "They're dead."

"Mine too." Grace kicked at the ground. It was an odd exchange from an outside point of view but to them it felt comfortable. Their similarities seemed to be growing by the minute and it was actually nice to have another girl around. Grace and Nora smiled at each other.

"It's Grace, right?" Nora asked.

"Yeah. Nora?"

Nora nodded sincerely.

Grace bit her lip, "Want to go see my room?"

"Sure."

 **Present Day: October 25, 2005- Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

The sunlight slipped past the curtains and surrounded the room. Grace Bradley rolled over and flinched in pain. She slowly opened her eyes to her childhood bedroom. She hadn't been to Bobby's in almost a year, until now. With a groan she got out of bed and walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room. A picture hung by sticky tack of her and Nora hangs off the mirror. A smaller picture of her and Bobby stands on the dresser beside of the mirror.

She cautiously lifted her t-shirt and winces. A dark blue bruise ran across her side. She had been hunting a ghoul and it had gotten a leg up on her. She had been hunting on her own since she turned fifteen. Five years of hunting on her own had it's perks, but whenever she got too lonely or injured; she always made her way back to Bobby's.

She quickly braided her hair and slipped on a dark flannel shirt and blue jeans. Grace glanced at her phone as she goes to brush her teeth. She told herself Nora might have texted her, but in reality she was waiting for John to call her; they hadn't talked in almost two weeks. But nothing. In the whole time she had known John she had never been worried, but for some reason she was now. She kept that to herself.

"Morning." Bobby greeted her.

Grace smiled as she began to pour a cough of coffee, "How are you old man?"

Bobby laughed, "Doing better than you. How are you feelin'?"

Grace shrugged, "Ok. A little sore, nothing I couldn't handle."

Bobby stayed silent to avoid an argument that has been had dozens of times before. When Grace decided she wanted to be a full-fledged hunter, Bobby was fully against it. When he had taught her all of the basic skills of a hunter, it was only a means of protection. Bobby took Grace on minor hunts initially, after the fighting between them had ceased. But, then John and Grace began to hunt together as well. She had never hunted with Sam and Dean, which she always thought was strange, but John had wanted to keep them separated. Grace never commented on it.

"How long are you staying?" Bobby asked, changing the subject.

Grace bit her lip, "Well, I think I'm heading out soon."

"Another hunt?" Bobby continued his inquiries.

Grace shrugged, "Something like that. I'm going to see John." Grace didn't want to tell him that she's not even sure where John is. Last she heard John was in Jericho, California. As Grace had grown up she had realized how obsessed John truly was with finding whatever had killed his wife, Mary. And she knew that the majority of John's hunts were geared toward finding whatever had done it. She wondered if he is getting closer.

"Where at?" Bobby tried.

"California." Grace grins. She was only nineteen and she had seen more than most thirty year olds had. She truly enjoyed the hunt and the lifestyle that came with it. Her fake IDs, the outfits, every aspect of it drew her in. Bobby, and admittedly John, hated that she hunted alone, but she liked the solidarity.

"What's he doing there?" Bobby made his way to the kitchen to cook himself some breakfast.

"Guess I'll find out." Grace responds.

"Are you staying for breakfast?" Bobby knew the answer already.

Grace shook her head and grabbed her duffel bag by the front door. Rumsfeld lay beside the old bag full of weapons and a few changes of clothes. She glanced out the window at her red and white striped Chevy pickup. She and Bobby had repaired it together.

"I'm sorry Bobby, I'll be back before you know it." She assured him.

Bobby grunted as Grace quickly kissed him on the cheek.

Then she left.

 **November 1** **st** **, 2005- Jericho California**

Grace had been in Jericho for three days. She knew that John was gone, but there was a hunt. A woman in white, Constance Whelch. She had left John a voicemail letting her know that she was there and she was going to hunt and then come find him. She had half a mind to call Dean, but she had never spoken to him before and she wasn't sure that this would be the best time.

Grace got out of her car and headed for John's hotel room. She had been staying there the past few days. Her stomach clenched when she noticed that the door to the room was unlocked. She slowly reached for her 9mm, but someone came up behind her.

"Don't move." A man whispered in her ear. She stiffened at how close he was to her and the feel of his breath on her neck. He reached for the door and opened, pushing them forward and inside. She instantly saw the back of another man, he's taller, his hair is longer.

"We got company." The man who brought her in announced.

When the guy turns around, Grace gasped. "Sam?" Grace chanced turning around, "Dean?" She only knew what they look like because John had an updated picture in his wallet. He never stopped talking about them and she never stopped being curious about them.

Sam looked at Dean clearly confused. Dean still hadn't let her go. "Who are you?" He asked, his voice gruff and deep.

"I'm a friend of Johns. I'm here to find him." Grace hated that her voice was shaking. But she was thrown off her game and she cannot believe she if actually meeting John's boys and he isn't even here for it.

Sam looks skeptical.

"John isn't here and he doesn't have friends." Dean tightened his grip on her.

She clenched her jaw, "Obviously. I've been here for three days. I put that picture of you guys on the mirror, the phone numbers on the back might be familiar to you." Her nerves begin to slip away.

Sam knew what she was talking about. "Let her go Dean."

Dean hesitated, but ultimately listened to his younger brother. She yanked her arm away from him and stepped forward. When she looked at him she is taken aback by how handsome he is. He is taller than her, his green eyes intensely focused on her.

"Who are you?" Dean asked again.

"I'm Grace. I've known your father a very long time." Grace was slightly hurt that they didn't know who she was, but she couldn't say that she was surprised. She wasn't going to reveal much more than that and she certainly wasn't going to mention Bobby quite yet. Sam and Dean shook their heads in unison.

"We've never heard him say anything about you before." Sam said almost apologetically.

"I'm sure there's a lot of things you've never heard about before." Grace retorted defensively.

Dean raised his eyebrows, surprised by her tone. "When's the last time you heard from him?" Dean asked.

"A little over two weeks ago. What about you?" She made it a point to ask Dean because she knew that John and Sam weren't exactly on the best of terms.

"About the same." Dean answered.

"Any idea where he is?" Sam tried, hopeful.

"Not yet." Grace whispered.

"Well we can take it from here." Dean said cockily.

Grace laughed outright and shook her head, "Yeah, I'm not going anywhere."

Dean crossed his arms and allowed himself to really look at her. She looked young, but her demeanor made her appear older. Her dark hair was in waves, she was dressed in casual clothes and she looked tired. Her skin was perfectly clear and pale and her dark cerulean eyes were intensely focused.

"How old are you anyway?" Dean asked.

"Nineteen." Grace felt no need to lie. She was a perfectly capable hunter.

Dean clucked his tongue, "A little young don't you think?"

"I've been hunting since I was twelve, including with your father. So I think I'm okay."

Sam chimed in, "Alright, it looks like we all want the same thing. So why don't we finish this hunt and hopefully that'll get us closer to finding dad."

"I agree." Grace smiled brilliantly at Sam.

Dean groaned, "Alright well I'm starving. I'll be back soon." Dean was overwhelmed. He hadn't seen Sam in so long and now this girl just showed up. Not to mention his worry for his father was increasing.

As Dean walked out Sam and Grace glanced at each other. "You've really been hunting that long?"

"Yes."

"How long have you known my dad?"

"Since I was six years old." Grace muttered as she sat on the bed. Sam was about to ask another question when his cell phone rang. Grace grabbed an old newspaper that was beside her and began to read over it.

"What?" Sam sounded alarmed as he moved over to the window. He pushed the curtains out of the way so he could look out the window. Grace looked past Sam and saw two deputies approaching Dean.

"Shit." Grace cursed under her breath. She began to pile her belongings into her bag.

"Well what about you?" Sam couldn't mask the concern for his brother. Grace stood in the doorway of the bathroom waiting for Sam to get off the phone. He snapped it closed and turned to face Grace. He looked panicked.

"There's a window in the bathroom, let's go." Grace lived for this rush.

Sam thought she wasn't so bad after all.

OoOoOo

"What do we do now?" Sam asked, his eyes focused on the road.

Grace and Sam were driving down a back road in the Impala. This day was too surreal. Grace glanced down at her cell phone, then back to Sam.

"We need to talk to Constance Welch's husband." Grace said.

"What about Dean?" Sam asked again.

"I'll take care of that, you talk to her husband." Grace grinned.

OoOoOo

Grace felt guilty for leaving so soon, but she knew Dean and Sam were going to be okay. She shot a few rounds off to distract the police and hoped Dean would escape. Her intentions were not to leave them behind, but while she had been packing her bag she had grabbed some of John's papers and found coordinates 35-111, with her name next to them. Knowing John, he did the same thing for Sam and Dean.

Now she was headed for Lost Creek, Colorado. Her mind was racing; she just wanted this feeling to go away that John was in trouble. She took a glance at the photo of John, Dean and Sam. She flipped it over and stared at Dean's number. Part of her wanted to call and explain why she left. Instead her phone rang, shaking her out of her thoughts.

She answered and waited for whoever was on the other end to speak first.

"Gracie?"

She stiffened and pulled off to the side of the road. "John? Where are you?" Grace felt relief wash over her.

"Don't worry about that. Where are you?" He avoided her question

"Headed to Colorado. Sound familiar?"

"I'm not there," he paused, "Listen, I need you to do me a favor."

Grace responded with silence.

"I need you to go back to Sioux Falls. I'll let you know when we can meet up."

"There's a hunt in Colorado, just like there was in Jericho? Why don't you want me there?" Grace was beginning to feel the exhaustion of the last few days.

John remained silent.

"Is this about Sam and Dean. I met them you know." Grace decided now was the best time to tell him.

"Did you?"

"Yeah."

"How'd they look?"

"Really good. Sam seemed happy, Dean is worried about you." Grace told him.

John let out a breath, "I just got a voicemail from Dean…Sam's girlfriend was killed this morning. It's connected to Mary, I know it. Sam and Dean need to hunt and I need you away from this. Just for now."

Grace couldn't believe what she was hearing. She shouldn't have left them and now John was asking her to go back to Bobby's. Even though she had only just met Sam, she felt sadness at the loss. His normal life had been completely shattered. She didn't want to listen to John, she wanted to keep hunting.

"Grace?"

"Alright, but John. Stay in touch."

"I'll try Gracie."

Grace closed her phone and turned the car around and headed back towards arguably the only home she knew.

OoOoOo

 **March 27, 2006- Sioux Falls, North Dakota**

Grace sat on Bobby's front porch, Rumsfeld lying lazily beside her. It had been almost four months since she heard from John and she wondered where he was. Guilt still gnawed at her about leaving Sam and Dean without a word, but she knew they would be okay hunting. She never disobeyed John and she was not ready to start now. Grace did some small hunts, but she kept ending back at Bobby's.

Rumsfeld ears perked up at the sound of tires on the gravel driveway. Grace had been looking at a reality website. While she had not been hunting she researched, spoke with other hunters.

An army green Jeep Wrangler came to a stop. Grace couldn't help but smile. She couldn't believe her eyes. Out of the car stepped the best friend Grace had ever had. Nora Reid was twenty-one and hunted occasionally. She had blonde hair that was almost always in a ponytail, her eyes were a deep green, but her best trait was her smile. She had a smile that made anyone feel welcome and warm.

Grace and Nora had become fast friends almost instantly. Nora had been learning how to hunt with her uncle after a nest of vampires had killed her parents. They bonded quickly but only got to see each other when Nora's uncle was passing through. Once they both reached an age old enough to hunt alone they sometimes paired up. No matter what, they always kept in touch.

"Surprise!" Nora smiled at Grace.

Grace shook her head in disbelief as she ran down the front steps to give her a hug. The last time she had seen Nora was a little over a year ago when they hunted in Nevada.

"What are you doing here?" Grace asked.

Nora pulled back a look of feign upset on her face. Grace took a step back and laughed. "No, I'm glad you are here! I'm just surprised. Last I heard from you, you were engaged to Rob? Bob?" Grace pretended not to know. Where Grace was more reserved when it came to boys, Nora was the exact opposite. Nora craved being with someone, she hated feeling alone.

"David. And I was engaged." Nora raised her hand, no ring on her finger.

"What happened?" Grace was not that surprised.

They moved over to sit on the front steps. Nora squealed with excitement when she saw Rumsfeld. Nora went to pet him immediately. For a supposed guard dog he was not that vicious.

"Well what happened?" Grace asked again.

"David was a loser." Nora said casually.

"Yeah but you knew that before you wanted to marry him."

"Very funny. He also preferred brunettes." Nora said with a little bit more disdain. Nora's flings lasted only four or five months at a time, always with another hunter. But they never lasted. Sometimes it was cheating, sometimes she got bored, and there were a multitude of other reasons.

"I'm sorry Nora." Grace murmured gently.

"Oh what does it matter? On to the next," Nora paused, "What about you?"

Grace sighed, "Well I haven't talked to John in months. I met Sam and Dean finally."

"What! When? How were they?" Nora knew all about Grace's father-daughter relationship with John.

"About three months ago in California. Sam was nice, Dean was not a fan of mine." Grace chuckled softly. It had been a lot different from what she was expecting. She had had this picture perfect image of things and now she was not so sure why.

"Really? Did you hunt with them?"

"Kind of. It's complicated Nora. I just want to hear from John." Grace felt her frustration bubbling to the surface.

"He'll call," Nora paused, "Were the boys as hot as dad is?" Nora laughed as Grace scoffed with disgust and shook her head.

"It's a legitimate question!" Nora couldn't stop smiling.

"Yes, they're

"Grace?" Bobby walked out onto the front steps. He faltered when he saw Nora, but quickly chuckled when he saw her.

"Hey ya Bobby." Nora stood up and hugged Bobby.

"When did you get here? Where's Brad?" Bobby looked at the jeep hoping to see his friend.

"Uncle Brad is on his honeymoon currently. In Vegas." Nora explained. Grace nodded; she hadn't known that her uncle was even seeing someone. Based on the look on Bobby's face, he had no idea either.

"That bastard got married?" Bobby laughed.

"Yessir." Nora put her hands on her hips. She was wearing skinny jeans and boots with a red and black flannel. She looked so much younger than she actually was.

"Well weren't you engaged?" Bobby asked.

"Don't ask." Grace interjected.

Bobby nodded, "Sorry kid."

Nora just shrugged, "Oh well."

Bobby cleared his throat and glanced down at Grace's laptop. "What're you looking at there?" Grace flushed when she realized she had left the laptop open. She stood up and closed her laptop.

"Busted." Nora sang.

"John's old house sold, that's all."

Bobby took his hat off and crossed his arms. He had noticed a shift in her ever since she came back from Jericho. All she said was that she wanted to take a break from hunting, which was the only explanation he had gotten.

"Is that good?" Nora asked.

Grace shrugged, "I'm not sure. Some of the old house is still part of it. It just makes me nervous."

"Why don't you go check it out?" Bobby pressed. He laughed to himself. Usually he was pushing Grace to stay; now he wanted her to leave. She wasn't the same when she wasn't out on the road.

Grace shrugged.

"You know, ever since you landed on my front steps you were wanting to learn about hunting, the supernatural. The second you were old enough to; you were out on the road. And these last few months you suddenly just stop?" Bobby watched the emotion flash across her face.

Grace remained quiet.

"Hunting is in your blood Grace."

Grace ran her hands through her hair, "I told John I would lay low until he told me otherwise."

Bobby clenched his jaw, "Go to Lawrence kid. Or you'll regret it."

With that he stood up and made his way out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Grace shouted after him.

"I need a beer."

Nora glanced at Grace and put her arm around her shoulder.

"Come on, I'll help you pack."

 **First off, thanks for reading! This chapter was just an introduction to the story as a whole. There will be a mixture of my original content and content from the show. The rating will change as the series goes on!**

 **Thanks for reading, any reviews/comments are appreciated :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**March 29, 2006- Lawrence, Kansas**

Grace had been walking around the house with the new homeowner, Jenny. When Grace had first arrived she could only stare at what was once the home of John and Mary Winchester. What would their lives had been like if Mary wouldn't have been killed?

However, Jenny was sweet enough. She had two children and needed a fresh start. But Jenny had already mentioned that house had its issues, which made Grace weary. A sick feeling arose in her stomach. There was evil surrounding this house, that much was obvious.

"Thanks for letting me come look at the place. I was so young when I had lived here and wanted to see what it looked like now." Grace gushed. She had dressed up a little nicer, wearing a black pencil skirt and nice light pink blouse. She curled her hair and her makeup, which was a rare occurrence. She wanted to look put together and convincing.

Jenny smiled, "No problem, really."

The doorbell rang and Jenny motioned for Grace to wait and then she went to go answer it. "I'll be right back." She smiled politely.

Grace turned and looked at Jenny's daughter, Sari. The girl was adorable, but she seemed shy. Sari smiled up and Grace bashfully. "Do you like living here?" Grace asked her.

Sari shrugged, "Sometimes."

Then Jenny walked in with Sam and Dean in tow. Grace hid her surprise and instead grinned. Dean looked immediately irritated as soon as she saw her, Sam looked somewhat amused. Jenny spoke up, "It's like a family reunion. Are these your brothers?"

"Uh cousins actually. I didn't think they would make it here on time so I just came by." Grace explained as she hugged Sam and Dean. Dean squeezed her a little too tight. Grace patted him on the back with equal force. Terse smiles spread on both of their faces.

"You said your last name was Winchester?" Jenny asked.

"Yes ma'am." Dean responded, stepping forward.

"I think there were some pictures of your family in the basement. Let me go grab them." Jenny motioned for Sari to follow her.

"Wait mom, tell them about the thing in the closet." Her childlike voice whimpered as she tugged at her mom's shirt.

"What thing in the closet?" Sam asked, his interest immediately sparked.

"Oh nothing, she just had a nightmare. You know how creative kids can be." Jenny smiled awkwardly.

"No, it was on fire! It came into my room." Sari announced indignantly.

Grace's stomach dropped. She knew all too well what that meant. Mary had died in the fire. Dean had carried Sam out, while John tried to save her. She chanced a look at Sam and Dean and frowned.

This was not good at all.

OoOoOo

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dean bit out as soon as they were far enough away from the house. Grace let out a breath. She didn't want to argue with him, but it did not seem like there was another option.

Grace glared at him, "I saw that the house sold. I was curious."

"Is that all?" Sam asked. He, unlike Dean, was not accusatory. He was instead being thorough.

"Yeah, why? Why are you here?" Grace couldn't help but notice the coincidence. She wasn't so sure that they were keeping up on the house like she had been. It was probably something that they had been trying to forget.

Sam hesitated, and then Dean said, "It doesn't concern you."

"Like hell it doesn't." Grace bit out.

"Look, I don't care about whatever you think your doing here, but you've got no part in this." Dean berated.

Sam cut in, "Dean…c'mon."

"I'm not gonna have some kid running around here screwing things up. She skipped out without a word the last time we ran into her, and now she's suddenly here, ready to help?" He was letting his frustration getting the best of him and he knew it.

"I'm not a child. And I'm not here to screw things up. In case you forgot, I'm the one who got your ass out of trouble on the last hunt." She was referring to the illegal gunshots that allowed Dean a chance to escape.

Sam interrupted their bickering, " Ok lets get out of here and we'll talk about this," he turned to face Grace, "Can you follow us?"

Dean was already making his way to the car.

Grace let out a sigh, "Sure."

OoOoOo

Grace pulled into a gas station behind Sam and Dean. She climbed out of her truck, prepared for yet another fight with Dean. He was on the defense around her and she couldn't really understand why. She was not trying to get in the way. She knew the brother's did not know her or understand how fond she had grown of John, but she hoped maybe they would eventually.

Grace moved to stand with the brothers who were already discussing their childhood home. They barely acknowledged Grace, but she didn't allow herself to be offended by it. "So you're staying then?" Dean didn't even look at her. Instead he glanced back at her truck. Grace couldn't decipher his facial expression.

"It would appear so. Is that alright with you?" Grace raised her eyebrows at him.

"I just don't understand your interest with my family." Dean retorted.

Sam stiffened. Grace had learned that Dean was a slight bit more stand offish opposed to Sam. She somehow knew he would be like this, but she was waiting for him to warm up to her.

A muscle in her jaw ticked, "I was six years old when my parents were possessed by demons. John saved me...from them." She felt awkward saying it that way but she had never said it out loud before. She didn't want to over share, but she felt like she had to give a little to get a little.

Sam and Dean shared a look. She knew they could relate to a loss of a parent, but she didn't need their pity.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Sam spoke.

"It's fine." Grace looked at the Winchesters.

Sam cleared his throat and changed the subject; "We need to treat this like any other case."

Dean nodded in agreement, "We talk to dad's friends, neighbors, people who knew him."

Grace chimed in, "This isn't just any other case."

Dean took a breath, "I'll be right back, I gotta use the bathroom."

Grace and Sam watched as Dean walked away from them. She relaxed and leaned against the Impala. She hated feeling like they couldn't trust her, especially since she and their father were so close.

Sam came to stand beside her.

"You okay?" He asked her.

"Yeah," she paused, "I'm sorry about Jessica."

Sam looked away, not questioning how she even knew who Jessica was, "Yeah me too." She stood beside him, enjoying the silence. She looked over towards where Dean had wandered off.

"I'll be right back." Grace murmured.

She walked towards the bathroom, hoping to have a quick word with him. She wanted to end whatever tension was amongst them. A moment away from Sam to at least explain who she was and what John meant to her might make the difference.

Instead, she walked in on a private discussion. Dean was in the middle of leaving John a voice message. It was obvious he was or had been crying. Grace's stomach tightened. She knew exactly what he was feeling. John had this effect on people. He was able to gain so much attachment from someone, while he seemed to remain distant.

Dean snapped his phone shut. The moment he looked up and saw Grace standing before him he stiffened. He wanted to wipe at his eyes and clear his throat, but he remained solitary.

Grace felt guilty for walking in on such a personal moment. She had left a few herself over the time she knew John. She tried to show that she was not judging him, that she understood him.

"Another voicemail?"

Dean nodded.

"I talked to him a few months ago." Grace told him.

Dean was surprised, "You did?"

"Yeah. After Jericho. He asked me to stop hunting until he contacted me. He said you and Sam needed to hunt alone."

Dean chuckled darkly, "And you just listened."

"Well I'm here now," she paused, "Look Dean, I know you don't trust me. But, I'm here and I'm going to help. I'm a perfectly capable hunter and maybe if you stopped shutting me down you'd realize that."

Dean stared at her, studied her. She remained strong under his scrutiny. She didn't seem like a common nineteen year old, and part of him knew that she wasn't. So he conceded and nodded in understanding and they made their way back to Sam. In his mind he was not sure anything else could go wrong. Having Grace here was just another addition.

Grace hoped that their conversation would help. She waited a few moments before she followed Dean's suit. Sam was still leaning against the Impala, him and Dean were in deep conversation.

"What's the plan?" Grace asked as she stood before them.

Dean shared a look with Sam, "We'll start tomorrow but for now we're going back to the motel."

"Are you with us on this?" Sam asked. For what it was worth he trusted Grace; his intuition told him it was the right choice.

Grace nodded.

"Okay, leave your truck here. You can ride with us." Sam invited. Dean didn't make eye contact with Grace as he got back into the Impala. She smiled gratefully at Sam. She quickly grabbed her bags and climbed into the backseat of the Impala. It had been too long since she had been inside.

She wanted to laugh when Metallica began to play on the radio, but she stayed quiet.

OoOoOo

"You don't think it's a little weird that Dad never told us about her?" Sam asked. They had drove to the hotel in silence for the most part. Now that Grace was in the bathroom and there was some privacy between them Sam wanted to talk about the newest addition to their team.

"No." Dean lied.

Sam clearly didn't believe him. Dean let out a breath, "Look Sam, I'm sure he had his reasons for why he didn't tell us. We don't even know anything about their…relationship or whatever."

"Well they're obviously close if he gave her a picture of us." Sam muttered, thinking back to their initial meeting with her.

Dean thought about what Sam was saying and he was right. Dean knew he put a lot of faith into his father and he was trying to understand his intentions even now. He wondered about the depths of Grace and John's relationship.

Just then Grace walked out of the bathroom, her hair still wet and undone. She was in a black t-shirt and sleep shorts. Sam politely smiled at her. Grace felt strangely at ease with the brothers even if they weren't quite there with her yet. She grabbed an extra blanket that was set up on a rack in the closet of the motel room. She laid the wooly blanket out on the floor.

"You aren't sleeping on the floor." Dean said aloud as he realized what she was planning on doing.

"It's really okay. It'll only be for a few hours." Grace moved back over to the closet and grabbed an extra pillow. She set it on the ground on top of her blanket. She grabbed her cell phone and saw that she had a text from Nora. She would have to call Bobby soon.

Dean clenched his jaw and glanced at Sam. Sam shrugged, "I wouldn't mind. You can have the bed."

"Goodnight guys." Grace chuckled as she laid down. Her body relaxed for the first time all day and she felt instant gratification. Her mind began to slow, but she couldn't help but wonder where John was and what he was doing.

Dean stared at Grace's back as he tried to figure out the same thing.

OoOoOo

"You have his journal?" Grace stared at the worn out book that contained all of John's secrets.

Dean nodded, "He wants us to use it."

"More importantly we know we have to go see Missouri." Sam interjected. Grace looked at the journal in Dean's hands. She had looked through it before, but only with John present. The cracked brown leather housed too many secrets and facts about things most people would never know about. It piqued her interest to no end.

"Let's get going." Dean said as he handed Grace the journal.

She looked up at him, her eyebrows raised. A semi polite gesture from Dean? She was not going to argue with it. Instead Grace began to flip through the journal right away.

OoOoOo

Missouri was not what Grace was expecting. She was short, curvy, and confident. From the moment they had stepped foot into her home, the mood had changed. Grace was actually hoping Missouri would be able to help, at least say if John was okay. The three of them stood awkwardly, Grace smack dab in the middle.

"Well, lemme look at ya." She stared at the three of them and laughed. "Oh, you boys grew up handsome," she points at Dean, "And you were one goofy-lookin' kid, too." Sam and Grace both smirked, while Dean could only glare. Missouri turned to Grace, her expression softening.

"Grace Bradley, you finally met the boys huh. You know you have Bobby worried sick about you, call him and let him know you made it, will you?" Missouri scolded her. Grace's cheeks flamed.

Dean looked at her, "Bobby Singer?"

"Yeah." Grace responded meekly. She could see the gears turning in his head and knew she would have even more questions to answer later.

Sam scoffed in surprise, causing the psychic to focus on him.

"Sam," she took his hand, "Oh, honey…I'm sorry about your girlfriend. And your father –- he's missin'?"

Sam tried to keep his composure, "How'd you know all that?"

"Well, you were just thinkin' it just now."

"Well, where is he? Is he okay?" Dean tried to hide how concerned he actually is. Grace nervously picked at her fingernails, waiting for a response.

"I don't know."

"Don't know? Well, you're supposed to be a psychic, right?" Dean responded.

Missouri's expression changed, "Boy, you see me sawin' some bony tramp in half? You think I'm a magician? I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room, but I can't just pull facts out of thin air. Sit, please."

Grace was the first to move to sit on one of the sofas. Something about the meeting with Missouri was making her uneasy. Sam was far too amused as he sat beside her.

"Boy, you put your foot on my coffee table, I'm 'a whack you with a spoon!" Missouri snapped at Dean.

"I didn't do anything." He retorted.

"But you were thinkin' about it."

Grace could not help but grin when she saw the look on his face. He looked like a kid caught in the middle of cheating on an exam.

"Okay. So, our dad, when did you first meet him?"

"He came for a reading. A few days after the fire. I just told him what was really out there in the dark. I guess you could say…I drew back the curtains for him."

"What about the fire? Do you know about what killed our mom?" Dean asked.

"A little. Your daddy took me to your house. He was hopin' I could sense the echoes, the fingerprints of this thing."

"And could you?" Sam pressed.

Missouri shook her head, "I…I don't know, but it was evil."

Grace knew something was happening with Sam and Dean, or perhaps just one of them. She knew they didn't show up just because someone moved into their old house. It was something more. She felt like she was on the outs of this hunt.

"I don't understand." Missouri muttered as she looked down at her hands.

"What?"

"I haven't been back inside, but I've been keepin' an eye on the place, and it's been quiet. No sudden deaths, no freak accidents. Why is it actin' up now?" Missouri explained.

"I don't know. But Dad going missing and Jessica dying and now this house all happening at once, it just feels like something's starting." Sam admitted.

Dean chimed in, "That's a comforting thought."

Missouri looked over to Grace, "You're awfully quiet. You know you belong with the Winchesters, you're in the right place."

Grace's cheeks flushed. Dean looked at her. She was getting used to him studying her. She was more focused on Missouri and the true meaning behind her words.

"Maybe we should go back to the house. Would you come with us?" Grace changed the subject.

"Please." Sam emphasized.

Missouri nodded, "Let me get my things."

Missouri stood and went into the other room. Dean let out a gruff breath as he stood up. "This is a little weird, don't you think?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, but she knows what she's doing or else Dad wouldn't have come to her." Sam responded

Dean shifted his attention to Grace, "How do you know Bobby?"

Grace rubbed the back of her neck, "After John helped me he took me to stay with Bobby. I kind of grew up there with him."

"And how does Dad play into this?" Dean asked.

"He came to check in when I was young and once I was old enough, we would hunt together. We've stayed in touch over the years." Grace had many fond memories with both Bobby and John.

Dean was kind of in awe. How had all this occurred without him even knowing about it? When John was away and Dean was watching Sam, was he with Grace? How much of a role had he played in her life? Grace was a mystery to him, but he knew that Sam was already warming up to her.

"Are we ready?" Missouri came back into the room.

"Let's go." Sam led the way.

OoOoOo

Grace stood beside Sam as Missouri explained why they were actually in the house. Missouri was convincing and able to connect with people. Jenny went from frantic to calm in a matter of seconds. Dean was silently fuming; as he was the target of Missouri's reprimanding.

"We'll be back down soon." Missouri motioned for them to follow her. Jenny seemed restless, but at least compliant. Grace stared at the house and wondered if this was what it looked like when the Winchesters had inhabited it.

They moved into Sari's room. It was decorated like a stereotypical little girls room.

"If there's a dark energy around here, this room should be the center of it."

"Why?" Sam questioned.

Grace knew the answer before Missouri answers, but she stayed quiet.

"This used to be your nursery, Sam. This is where it all happened." She spoke serenely. Grace watched as Sam looked up at the ceiling while Missouri looked around the room. Dean pulled out his EMF meter and began his own inspection.

"That an EMF?" Missouri asked.

"Yeah."

"Amateur." Missouri responded. Grace smiled as Dean glares at both of the women. It was nice to see Dean being taken down a notch. He nudged Grace gently to show her the EMF is beeping frantically. Grace doesn't know if she should be relived or worried. At least they know something is there.

"This ain't the thing that took your mom." Missouri spoke quietly.

"Wait, are you sure?" Sam was clinging to the idea that it was.

She only nodded.

"How do you know?" Grace asked, curious about her skill.

"It isn't the same energy I felt the last time I was here. It's somethin' different."

"What is it?"

Missouri opened the closet in the bedroom, "Not it. Them. There's more than one spirit in this place."

"What are they doing here?" Grace asks.

"They're here because of what happened to the family. You see, all those years ago, real evil came to you. It walked this house. That kind of evil leaves wounds. And sometimes, wounds get infected."

"I don't understand." Sam was frustrated.

"This place is a magnet for paranormal energy. It's attracted a poltergeist. A nasty one. And it won't rest until Jenny and her babies are dead."

"You said there was more than one spirit."

"There is. I just can't quite make out the second one." Missouri was perplexed.

"Well, one thing's for damn sure- nobody's dyin' in this house ever again. So whatever is here, how do we stop it?" Dean was determined to end whatever was happening here. This house had enough bad memories; it was time to destroy whatever evil was here now.

Missouri smiled at the three of them.

OoOoOo

Grace stood beside Dean as he smashed an axe against the wall. They were following Missouri's hopefully sage advice and planting herbs in the walls. Apparently this was the trick, who knew?

"You ever heard of anything like this?" Grace asked him.

Dean shrugged, "Not really, but she seems to know what she's talking about." He looked down at her and gave her the first genuine smile she had seen from him. It made her stomach knot. Dean Winchester had a reputation as a womanizer in the world of hunters after all.

Grace was about to say something else, but she heard something. She prayed Dean registered it as well as she ducked down, pulling him with her. A knife swooshed past her and landed in the cabinet beside her head. Dean reached for the table and placed it in front of them. Grace inhaled sharply as more knives flew into the table.

"Son of a bitch." Grace whispered. Dean pushed the table away from them and stood abruptly. Grace stood up and looked at Dean, who was already giving her a once over.

"Whatever it is doesn't like what we are doing." Grace muttered.

"You're telling me." Dean responded.

A thump upstairs triggered both Grace and Dean into action. They rushed up the steps to find Sam being strangled by the cord of a lamp.

"Sam!" Dean yelled as he moved towards his brother. Grace looked around and then ran towards the wall. She was suddenly grateful she was wearing steel-toed boots as she kicked a hole in the wall and put a bag of the herbs inside. A blinding light erupted and then left the room. Grace knew then that it had to be over, relief hitting her. She watched as Dean pulled the cord out from around Sam's neck and pulled him into his arms. Dean looked past Sam and whispered a thank you to her. She doesn't know why, but she knows that Missouri was right in saying that she belonged with the brothers.

OoOoOo

Grace sighed as she scooted up to be closer to Sam and Dean. They had cleared the house; Missouri had even okayed it, yet they were still parked outside. Grace wasn't sure why she was still there, but she hoped it had something to do with them gaining trust for her.

"Alright, so Bobby Singer practically raised you." Dean asked as he took a bite out of a hot dog from a gas station up the road. Here it goes. The long explanation that Dean wanted, he was not going to get. Grace rarely talked about her childhood. It was in the past and she tried to keep it that way. Did she want to find what had possessed her parents? Yes. But she did not use that as her only means for living.

"With a little help from your father, yes." Grace answered.

Sam stared nervously out the window, "And you talked to him, Dad?" He sounded hopeful.

"Yes, a few months back right after Jericho. He sounded tired, but not in any immediate danger."

"Well hey that's something," Dean paused, "So he took you on hunts? And he just never mentioned you to us?"

Grace nodded, "I knew who you both were. He just kept us separate. I don't really know why." Silence surrounded them at the unanswered question. John Winchester had a reason for everything, but this in itself was a conundrum.

"Now that you guys have interrogated me, can I ask a question?" Grace tried.

"Sure." Sam answered before Dean could protest.

"How did you guys know to come here?" Grace asked.

Dean and Sam exchanged a look. "How did you?" Dean countered.

Grace blushed, "I kept tabs on the house. I saw someone new moved in and I was curious I guess."

Sam nodded slowly, "I-" before he could say anything Dean cut him off.

"Sam, don't."

"Dean, she's obviously on our side. She's saved your ass and mine twice now. I think we can trust her." Sam announced.

"You do?" Dean took a lot of weight into Sam's opinion, Grace could tell.

He nodded, "Listen Grace, I have these dreams. I dreamt Jessica was going to die days before she did. And I had dreams about Jenny, in this house. Which is why we're still here. I have this…I have a bad feeling." Sam explained.

Grace was surprised at Sam's secret. In the world they lived in with hunting and the supernatural, this was more than the simple explanation Sam had given. She wondered if John knew anything about it. But, it seemed highly unlikely. Grace felt a push of acceptance from Sam, maybe Dean.

"The house should be clean though, right?" Grace said.

"That's it?" Sam asked.

Grace shrugged, "I mean, I think you're dreams have to mean something, but I don't know anything about it. We encounter strange things every day, Sam. And if you feel like we should be here, then we'll stay until you don't."

A grateful smile formed on Sam's lips, "I just want to be sure." Grace looked in the rearview mirror and saw Dean staring at her. He looked away quickly, focused on his thoughts.

"Well I could be sleeping in a bed right now." Dean murmured as he closed his eyes and slid into his seat. Grace laughed and did the same. Sam looked out the window and stiffened.

"Look, Dean! Grace!"

Jenny was in the second floor window, completely frantic. They all rushed out of the car and into the house. Dean ordered Sam and Grace, "You two grab the kids, and I'll get Jenny." Grace saw a bit of John in Dean in that moment, and quickly obeyed.

OoOoOo

Grace stared at the fiery figure, her heart pounding. She was absolutely defenseless as was Sam, but he seemed perfectly calm. Grace looked around wondering where Dean was. She was hoping he would get here soon enough.

As if by clockwork, Dean came sprinting inside. She could see the gun in his hand.

"No, don't! Don't! Dean!" Sam yelled, startling Grace. The figure was close to them now, but it was more focused on Sam.

"What, why?!" Dean panicked.

"Because I know who it is. I can see her now."

The fire suddenly vanished, leaving Mary Winchester standing before them. She was in a white nightgown, her blonde hair flowing. She looked ethereal. Dean's expression changed instantly and he lowered his gun. Grace had only seen one photograph of Mary and she had been younger and pregnant with Dean. The photo did not do her justice.

"Mom?" Dean sounded like a small child.

"Dean." Mary spoke his name and tears began to form in his eyes. Mary smiled and she walked towards Grace and Sam.

Mary smiled at Grace, "Thank you for helping my sons."

Grace was completely speechless. She could only nod. Dean watched his mother, not taking his eyes from her.

"Sam. I'm sorry." Mary said to her youngest son.

Confused, Sam questioned, "For what?"

Then Mary looked up at the ceiling as she moved away from them, "You get out of my house. And let go of them." With that she burst into flames. The flames reached the ceiling before they disappeared. Whatever force had been holding Grace and Sam disappeared and they came off the wall. Grace stood back as Sam went to talk to Dean.

"Now it's over." Sam whispered.

OoOoOo

It was the next morning; Grace and Dean were leaning against the Impala watching Sam, Missouri and Jenny talk. Grace was tired, but she knew it had all been worth it. It may have been an emotionally charged hunt, but she felt like she really got a chance to see the Winchesters and form some sort of relationship with them. She would actually miss them and their antics.

"So uh, where are you headed now?" Dean asked. He kept his eyes before him. Grace's heart sped up and she shrugged.

"Don't know. Maybe back to Bobby's, might keep hunting since I already disobeyed that order." She smiled cheekily at Dean.

He let out a low laugh and paused, "Thank you for…"

"Everything?" She teased.

Dean shook his head, "Not just that, but Sam…he's afraid that with his nightmares and them coming something might be wrong with him. But when he told you, you didn't call him a freak or anything. That meant a lot to him."

She knew that Dean was not an overly emotional or touchy feely guy, this was probably as close as she would get to it to sentiment.

"It was nothing," she hesitated, "Are you worried about him?"

Dean clenched his jaw, "He's my brother." That statement said it all. "Just…don't say anything to Dad. If you talk to him before we do."

"I wouldn't." Grace replied.

Sam made his way back over to them, looking slightly concerned. But he plastered a smile on his face. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was a mess. Another sleepless night for him.

"Well, I'm glad that's over." Sam laughed.

Grace smiled as she picked her bags up and slung him over her shoulder, "Me too."

Sam looked at her and her belongings, "So, you'll pop up in another four months?"

Grace rolled her eyes, "Maybe. If you guys are lucky."

Dean gave a slight smile, "Will you let us know if you hear anything from our dad?"

"Yeah," Grace paused, "Call if you guys need anything. I'll text you my number." She told Dean.

Sam laughed, "Dean isn't one for texting."

"I'll figure it out." Dean replied defensively.

Grace smiled, "Alright, I'll see you guys around."

As she walked back to her truck, Grace wondered when that would be.

 **** **A little quality time with the Winchesters!**

 **I've written pretty much this whole story, I just have yet to upload it. Leave reviews and comments!**


	3. Chapter 3

**June 18** **th** **, 2006-Sioux Falls, North Dakota**

Grace took a sip of water and wiped the sweat from her brow. The sun was shining hotly down on the scrapyard and Grace had been filling her time with minor hunts and fixing cars. It had only been about two months since she had seen Sam and Dean. Still no word from John.

Bobby sat down on the front porch beside her. "You've been here a lot lately." He mentioned.

"Should I leave?" She joked.

Bobby smiled softly, "No, no I like having you around."

"I haven't been here that much. There was that werewolf in Colorado and the haunting in Pennsylvania. I'm still hunting." Grace knew he was worried, but she couldn't really explain the difference in how she hunted now. In truth she missed Sam and Dean, which sounded crazy. She felt like she knew them now and could be a part of their group.

"After coming back from Lawrence you laid low."

"Only for a little while."

Her phone dinged, signaling a text. Grace smiled when she saw it was from Dean.

It read: Case closed

Dean checked in from time to time. Grace originally questioned why he did, but then she became used to it. It had been another few months, but this was how they kept in touch. Grace had wished she had stayed with them because they saw John in May in Chicago. She tried to not be angry that she hadn't even received a phone call, but she had left plenty of voicemails. They all remained unanswered of course.

They had just finished a hunt in Wisconsin, something personal for Dean. But Grace didn't pry.

"I found a hunt in New York." Bobby announced.

Grace nodded, already having read about it, "Mark and Ann Telesca of New Paltz, New York were both found dead in their own home, a few days ago. Throats were slit. There were no prints, no murder weapons, all windows and doors locked from the inside."

"You going?"

Grace sighed, "Do you want me to?"

"I want you to do whatever you want, but I know it isn't sitting around here with me getting burnt to a crisp or working on cars." He smiled sadly.

"Bobby, I like being here."

"I know, but you're telling me that you haven't been staring at every article wanting to go and help these people? You've been here long enough."

Grace stared at him.

"Okay."

Bobby grinned as Grace went to pack her things. He might have had some intel that the Winchesters were headed there…

OoOoOo

 **June 20th ,2006- Upstate New York**

Grace had curled her hair and perfected her makeup. A diamond necklace and diamond earrings decorated her frame. She wore a dark navy dress, quarter length sleeves and a hooped neckline. She would never say it aloud but she enjoyed this part, the dressing up like a woman instead of a hunter. It was rare that she ever wore gowns or skirts.

She was in New York at an auction. Some guy was standing a little too close to her, explaining some meaningless portrait on the wall. She kept a graceful smile and nodded when appropriate.

When she absent-mindedly looked behind the man, her eyes widened. "I'll be damned."

"Excuse me?" The man whose name she forgot asked.

"Pardon me, I'll be right back." She didn't even make eye contact as she moved away towards Sam and Dean. Dean was stuffing his face and sipping champagne while Sam looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"You boys sure know when to dress up." Grace murmured as she stepped closer behind them. They turned around on high alert, but relaxed when they saw her. They were dressed in their usual jackets, flannel, and dirty boots. Sam's face was flushed.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked, surprised.

"Bobby sent me. What a coincidence that you two are here." Grace spoke softly since it was an auction house. She realized that it may not have been a coincidence after all.

"Yeah, so this is your case?" Sam asked.

She shrugged, "How about we take this one together. For old times sake." She smiled.

Before they could answer a woman asked, "A fine example of American Primitive wouldn't you say?" Grace looked at her. She was very beautiful, dressed in a nice black dress. There was something sleek about her, something classy.

Sam turned back to look at the painting again. Grace was at a loss for words as was Dean, who was ogling the woman.

"Well I'd say it's more Grant Wood than Grandma Moses. But you knew that, you just wanted to see if I did." Sam countered. Grace eyed Sam, seeing him in a different light for a brief moment. She didn't even know what he was saying, but she was impressed.

"Guilty. And clumsy. I apologize. I'm Sarah Blake." Sarah introduced herself.

"I'm Sam. This is my...brother, Dean and…Grace." Sam introduced us. Dean was to busy stuffing his face from passing trays. Grace nudged Dean.

Sarah grinned, "Dean. Can we get you some more mini-quiche?"

Dean was chewing as he responded, "I'm good, thanks."

"So, can I help you with something?" She stared pointedly at Sam. Grace could see the chemistry between them and made her way closer to Dean.

"Dean…a little bit of composure" Grace hissed as quietly as she could. Dean made a face.

"Yeah, actually. What can you tell us about the Telesca estate?"

"The whole thing's pretty grisly if you ask me, selling your things this soon. But Dad's right about one thing, sensationalism brings out the crowds. Even the rich ones."

"Is it possible to see the provenances?" Sam asked.

Then a man, presumably Sarah's father came up to them. "I'm afraid there isn't any chance of that."

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"You two are not on the guest list. Mrs. Michelson you are more than welcome to stay." He smiled at Grace.

"Oh, I'll have to be on my way. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon. I apologize for any inconvenience." Grace could put on a show when she needed. She grabbed Dean and motioned for him to follow her out. She noticed the look Sam gave Sarah and hoped it wouldn't be the last they had seen of her.

OoOoOo

The motel room was disco themed and actually kind of hilarious. Grace plopped down on the bed and began to take her heels off. There was a brief conversation about if they would share a room again, but it just seemed to make sense that they would. Dean watched her momentarily then began to unpack their things. Sam went into the bathroom.

"Nice diamonds." Dean looked at her cockily. "Where'd you find those?"

Grace smiled softly. After her parents had died, everything in their possession had gone to her; the money, the house, the possessions; including jewelry. Most of it was in storage, only because Grace couldn't bring herself to get rid of it.

"They were my mom's." She wasn't offended.

Dean faltered, "Oh…I'm sorry."

"You didn't say anything wrong." Grace stood up and began to trifle through her bags. She needed to change. She could feel Dean staring at her as she pulled out a pair of jeans and a tank top.

"Could you unzip me?" She asked innocently.

"Yeah, sure." Dean reminded himself that she was practically a kid, only nineteen, and that John probably looked at her like a daughter. But, she was beautiful and strong. She had held her own on the hunts and been able to lend a hand whenever he or Sam needed one. He had thought about her from time to time since seeing her in Lawrence, but he didn't say anything about it.

He pulled the zipper down slowly, staring at her pale skin and the black lace of her bra. He noticed the line of a scar a little lower and he wondered if it was from when she was younger. His fingers lingered as he saw Grace's skin breakout in goosebumps. She stiffened at the feel of him so close to her. Part of her hoped he couldn't see the scars. Even if he did she knew well enough that he wouldn't ask.

Just then Sam walked out of the bathroom and Dean backed away a little too fast, too suspiciously. Grace cleared her throat and grabbed her clothes as she walked into the bathroom, bypassing Sam.

Her face was red; her heart was beating too fast.

What the hell was that?

OoOoOo

"Did I interrupt something?" Sam grinned at his brother. He spoke softly so that Grace would not hear him.

"Shut up Sam."

"So is that a yes?"

"What no? I was just helping her."

"Mhm, yeah. Dean Winchester always innocently helping girls undress."

"Speaking of girls, that Sarah chick. She was totally into you." Dean smiled; glad to be shifting the subject.

"Yeah, okay."

"I'm just saying maybe you should call her."

"You mean get information from her." Sam glanced at his brother.

Dean shrugged, "Sometimes you gotta take one for the team. Call her."

OoOoOo

Grace woke up slightly disoriented. She hadn't expected to sleep this long. She sat up slowly and saw that it was dark outside. Dean was sitting at the table in the corner of the room on his laptop. Sam was gone.

Grace looked at the clock. It was nine at night. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"She lives." Dean laughed.

"Where's Sam?" She asked.

"On a date with Sarah." Dean looked like a proud parent.

"Why'd you let me sleep?"

"You obviously needed it, plus we didn't do anything case wise." Dean closed his laptop and turned to look at Grace. He was in truth happy she was there. It was nice having someone around besides Sam.

Grace stretched and her stomach growled. She tightened her arms around her abdomen. "Hungry?" Dean asked.

"Let's order pizza." Her mouth was watering just at the thought. Dean nodded in agreement.

"Get everything on it." Grace spoke seriously as she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. She looked exhausted. She rarely slept in jeans, but this time she had. Her cell phone was even in her pocket.

She had two missed calls from Bobby. She called him back as she walked back into the bedroom. He answered on the first ring.

"Hey kid, did you make it?" Bobby greeted her.

"Sure did. And guess who was here, Sam and Dean." Grace told him. Dean glanced up when she came into the room.

"Really?" Bobby was not a good actor.

"Did you do this on purpose?" She lowered her voice.

Silence.

"How did you know?"

"I have my ways. Call soon." With that he hung up. Grace tossed her phone on the bed and sat cross-legged facing Dean.

"Did you order?" She asked.

"Yep. Should be here in an hour," he looked up at her, "Was that Bobby?"

Grace nodded.

"Last we saw him…wasn't too good."

"What do you mean?" Grace asked, curious.

"Dad dropped us off there for a month. When he came back, Bobby was not happy." Dean told her.

"When was this?" Grace asked confused

"I was ten. Was that before you met him?" Dean phrased his question delicately.

Grace nodded, "Long before I showed up then," She changed the subject, "How was your dad when you saw him?"

Dean let out a breath, "Considering all that was going on, he seemed okay. He's on edge and trying to find whatever killed mom and Jess. He's trying to protect us." Dean was a fierce defender of his dad.

"He hasn't even called me. Next time I see him, he better look out." Grace smiled. Her and John's relationship was centered on bantering and friendship. She really never stopped looking up to him.

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, "We didn't tell him that we saw you in Lawrence, but he knew. I'm not sure how, but he did."

"Did he say anything?"

"Not really, he just hoped you were safe." Dean told her.

"He's something else. We were hunting once; there was a banshee in St. Louis, and I thought I could take it myself. I was wrong, of course. John was stitching up my arm scolding me the whole time." Grace smiled fondly at the memory.

Dean looked at Grace, "I wish he would have told us about you." He was somewhat jealous that the times their father wasn't with him and Sam, he was probably with Grace.

"It bothered me at first. Especially since I knew all about you and Sam."

"So you just grew up, hunting and that's all?"

Grace nodded, "I hated school. And the urge for normalcy never really hit me. I felt like hunting was normal. Maybe sometimes, it would be nice if they slowed down, but I take breaks when I need to."

Dean was kind of in awe by her. She spoke words that Dean himself had felt. It was comforting that he was not the only one. Sam wanted out all the time, maybe that was shifting, but Dean didn't know anything else.

Grace looked at Dean and felt her skin heat. She was sharing too much. "If you weren't hunting, what would you be doing?" She always liked asking this question, the answers always varied.

Dean looked completely focused and thoughtful as he contemplated the question. Finally he said, "I'd probably work on cars."

Grace smiled.

"What about you?"

There was a knock on the door, signaling the pizza. She was glad for the diversion because she had never thought about anything else aside from hunting.

Maybe she should.

OoOoOo

Grace was probably having too much fun behind the wheel of the Impala. She was waiting for Sam and Dean, who were inside the auction house where they were stealing the painting. She smiled when she saw them sprinting towards the car. She sped off as soon as the doors were closed.

"Did you get it?" She asked.

"Of course we did." Dean smiled.

They drove for about fifteen minutes before reaching some back roads. Grace slowed and parked on the side of the road. They all climbed out of the car. Grace tossed Dean a box of matches.

Sam threw the painting on the road and shined a flashlight on it.

"Ugly ass thing. If you ask me, we're doing the art world a favor."

Dean threw a match on the painting and they watched as it disappeared.

OoOoOo

"Did you have it the whole time?" Grace asked disbelieving. Dean had stormed out of the bathroom this morning, saying he had lost his wallet at the warehouse. When they got there, they all began to search.

Now, Sam and Sarah were inside talking while Dean and Grace were headed back towards the Impala. Dean's wallet conveniently placed in the pocket of his leather jacket.

Dean shook his head, "I don't know. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

"Really mature." Grace laughed.

"You think he's okay in there?" Dean looked at the entrance to the auction house.

"Yes Dean. Sam can hold his own." Grace grinned at him sweetly.

Grace enjoyed the time she was spending with Sam and Dean, maybe more so just being around Dean. He was easy for her to talk to and she didn't worry about what he would say about her thoughts. It didn't hurt that he was so handsome either.

Dean caught Grace staring at him and playfully winked at her. She rolled her eyes and thanked the lord when she saw Sam running down the front steps.

"We have a problem." Sam muttered as he ushered everyone into the Impala.

"What? Did you scare her off already?" Dean jested.

"No, the painting is in there."

Grace thought she misheard, "The painting? The one we burnt last night?"

"I don't understand, we burned the damn thing." Sam was panicking.

"Yeah, thank you Captain Obvious. All right, we just need to figure out another way to get rid of it. Any ideas?" Dean was able to keep a level head.

"Okay, All right. Well, in almost all the lore about haunted paintings it's always the painting's subject that haunts them." Grace shared. She took pride in all the knowledge she had learned from Bobby.

"Yeah. So we just need to figure out everything there is to know about that creepy-ass family and that creepy-ass painting." Dean said.

"I know just the place." Sam murmured.

OoOoOo

They were back at the hotel after visiting an art proprietor. Sam and Dean were sitting at the table. Grace was sitting on the bed researching on her laptop.

"I'm telling you guys, I'm sure of it. The painting at the auction house, Dad is looking down. Painting here, Dad's looking out. The painting has changed." Sam showed them. Grace set her computer aside and went over to Sam to examine the painting. She couldn't dispute it.

"All right so you think that Daddy dearest is trapped in the painting and is handing out Columbian neckties like with his family?" Dean questions.

"Well yeah, it seems like it. But if his bones are already dusted how are we gonna stop him?" Sam is clearly perplexed.

"All right, well. If Isaiah's position changed then maybe other things in the painting did too. It could give us some clues." Grace says to them.

"What, like a Da Vinci Code deal?" Sam asks.

Dean has a blank look on his face, but Grace nods. Sam scoffs at his brother.

"I don't...know. Uhh...I'm still waiting for the movie on that one. Anyway, we gotta get back in and see that painting." Dean stands and moves to the bed Grace was just on. He throws himself onto it crossing his arms behind his head. Grace sits. He has that cocky look on his face and she knows he's about to make some remark.

"Which is a good thing cause you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend." Dean grins.

"Dude. Enough already." Sam snaps.

"What?"

"What? Ever since we got here you've been trying to pimp me out to Sarah. Just back off, all right?" Sam finally says. This is the closest thing to a fight that Grace has seen between the brothers. She feels like she should leave the room, but that might make it even more awkward.

"Well you like her don't you?" Dean asked.

Sam looks up at the ceiling, frustrated.

"All right, you like her, she likes you, you're consenting adults..." Dean continued to push.

Grace saw the growing frustration in Sam.

"What's the point Dean, We'll just leave, we always leave." Sam sounded mentally exhausted.

"Well I'm not talking about marriage Sam." Dean attempted to backtrack.

"I don't get it, why do you care if I hook up?" Sam asked, agitated.

"Cause then maybe you wouldn't be so cranky all the time." Dean replied. Sam stared at him in complete disbelief. He turned away from his brother and chanced a glance at Grace who was observing.

"I don't think it's just about that." She decided to say.

Dean sat up, "I think that this Sarah girl could be good for you."

Sam let out a frustrated sigh and faced Dean.

"And...I don't mean any disrespect but I'm sure this is about Jessica right? Now I don't know what it's like to lose somebody like that...but...I would think that she would want you to be happy. God forbid have fun once in a while. Wouldn't she?" Dean finally explained himself. Sam's eyes began to tear up.

"Yeah I know she would." Sam gave a half smile, and then said, "Yeah you're right. Part of this is about Jessica. But not the main part."

"What's it about?" Dean asked.

Sam stayed quiet.

"Yeah all right." Dean laid back, "Well we still gotta see that painting, which means you still gotta call Sarah...so..."

Sam opened his cell phone and cleared his throat. Grace relaxed now that both of them have seemed to have calm down. It was fascinating watching them work through their issues. Dean shook his head and shut his eyes, a smirk on his face.

"Hey, Sarah, it's Sam. Good. Good, yeah. What about you?" Sam was stumbling over his words and awkward.

Dean opened one eye slightly, watching his brother. Grace pretended that she was writing notes about the hunt. She did not know anything when it came to asking someone out on a date, but she would like to think she would at least sound confident in herself.

"Smooth." Dean chided. Grace shot him a look, but Dean could only grin.

"So...so ah listen. We were, we were...uh...thinking that maybe we'd like to come back in and look at the painting again. I think maybe we are interested in buying it...what!?" Sam's tone and demeanor changed.

Grace snapped her head up, while Dean moves to the edge of the bed.

"Who'd you sell it to?" Sam was being more aggressive, but Grace was happy to see that his confidence is back. Dean stood up, and continued listening closely.

"Sarah I need an address right now."

OoOoOo

The new owner of the painting was murdered. Grace kicked her boots off and threw her brown leather jacket on the bed. She was frustrated and tired. They were too late. Not to mention now Sarah was questioning whom they all were, which wasn't putting them in the greatest situation.

"This is going great." She huffed.

"We'll figure it out." Dean muttered.

"Yeah, I just hope no one else dies in the process." Grace lay on her side facing him. Sam was pacing back and forth. A knock at the door startled Grace. Sam opened it and Sarah charged in. She was dressed less casual than the last time Grace had seen her, but she was still beautiful.

"Hey. You all right?" Sam asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"No actually, I just lied to the cops and told them I went to Evelyns, alone, and found her like that." Sarah explained. Grace let out a sigh of relief. Sarah was growing on her more and more

"Thank you." Sam said with sincerity.

"Don't thank me, I'm about to call them right back and tell them what the hell's going on. Who's killing these people!" Sarah demanded answered.

Sam looked at Dean and Grace. "You might want to take a seat." Grace gestured the chair beside Sarah. Sarah raised her eyebrows

"What." Sam said.

"What?"

"It's not 'who'. It's 'what' is killing those people." Sam explained. Sarah looked like Sam grew a second head. Grace hadn't ever told anyone that she was a hunter or that creatures and monsters existed. She had kept herself fairly isolated until meeting Sam and Dean.

"Sarah, you saw that painting move." Sam tried to be gentle.

"No...no I was...I was seeing things. It's impossible." Sarah stuttered with agitation lacing every word.

"Yeah well, welcome to our world." Dean knew it wasn't exactly a cakewalk sharing this kind of thing.

"Sarah I know this sounds crazy...but we think that that painting is haunted." Sam told her.

"You're joking." Sarah stared at them. They're all expressionless, knowing that it is actually true.

"You're not joking. God, the guys I choose to go out with." Sarah shook her head and scoffed.

"Sarah, think about it. Evelyn, the Telesca's, they both had the painting. And there have been others before that. Wherever this thing goes people die. And we're just trying to stop it. And that's the truth." He was good, Grace would admit that. Sam had that look, he seemed so innocent.

"Then I guess you'd better show me. I'm coming with you guys." Sarah spoke.

"What? No. Sarah no, you should just go home. This stuff can get dangerous and...and I don't want you to get hurt." Sam stared at her.

"Look, you guys are probably crazy, but if you're right about this? Then me and my Dad sold this painting that got these people killed. Look I'm not saying I'm not scared because I am scared as hell but...I'm not going to run and hide either." Sarah said as she made her way to the door.

Grace was impressed.

"So are we going or what?" With that, Sarah walked out.

"Sam? Marry that girl." Dean said seriously.

"Please." Grace grinned at Sam whose cheeks were burning red.

They all stood and grabbed their jackets. Sam was out the door first. "That went a lot better than expected." Grace murmured to Dean.

"You're telling me."

OoOoOo

They were outside of Evelyn's home to look at the painting. Sam was picking the lock. They all tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

"Ahhh...isn't this a crime scene?" Sarah asked, concerned.

"You've already lied to the cops, what's another infraction?" Grace asked, a smile on her face.

Sam opened the door and motioned for everyone to get inside. They made their way towards the painting. Sam lifted it down off the wall. Grace glanced at Dean. She felt the urge to be closer to him, for just an instant. She pushed the thought away, not understanding it.

"Aren't you worried that it's...gonna kill us?" Sarah asked.

"Nah, it seems to do it's thing at night. I think we're all right in the daylight." Dean held up the picture of the book and compared it to the painting, "Check it out. The razor, it's closed in this one but it's open in that one."

"What are you looking for?" Sarah asked.

"Well if the spirits changing aspects of the painting maybe it's doing so for a reason." Dean explained.

"Hey look at this. The painting in the painting." Grace pointed out.

"Looks like a crypt, or a mausoleum or something." Dean said. He looked around the room and then grabbed a thick glass ashtray. He used it as a magnifying glass.

"Merchant. Looks like we know where we're going next." Dean announced.

OoOoOo

They made their way through yet another graveyard in search of the mausoleum. Grace's feet hurt and a thin layer of sweat covered her. Dean's complaint mirrored her opinions exactly, "This is the third boneyard we've checked. I think this ghost is jerking us around."

"So this is what you guys do for a living?" Sarah asked, actually interested.

"Not exactly. We don't get paid." Sam smiled at her.

"Well, Mazel tov." She muttered, trying not to trip and fall.

"Over there." Grace pointed out the mausoleum as soon as she saw it. Dean quickly broke the lock and they all entered. Grace pushed aside the cobwebs that blocked their path. Grace looked the room over, noticing the nameplates and the urns. She watched Sarah look into one of the cases at a doll. She made a face at Grace, causing Grace to grin. She liked Sarah and thought something with her and Sam might blossom. But, like Sam said, they did not stay in the same place for long.

"Okay, that right there is one of the creepiest things I've ever seen." Sarah announced.

" It was a...sort of tradition at the time. Whenever a child died sometimes they'd preserve the kids favorite toy in a glass case, put it next to the headstone or crypt." Sam explained.

"Notice anything strange here?" Dean asked.

"Where do I start?" Sarah muttered.

Grace and Sam both chuckled. Dean rolled his eyes, "No, look at the urns."

"There are only four." Grace says with quick realization.

"Yeah Mom and the three kids. Daddy dearest isn't here." Dean sighs.

"So where is he?"

OoOoOo

"Dean, really your manners could use some work." Grace said as they exited the city hall. They had just gotten information regarding the Merchant family, but of course Dean had to give an attitude to the secretary.

Dean shrugged, "She was rude."

Grace rolled her eyes as they walked back towards the Impala. Dean faltered and stopped, causing Grace to do the same. They looked ahead and saw Sam and Sarah sitting on a small wall waiting for them to get back. They were deep in conversation.

"What do you think?" Grace asked, genuinely curious.

Dean shrugged, "You know how it goes with this gig. Things like this, they don't last. But he likes her."

"He's afraid." Grace looked at Dean.

"I know. But he's doing what he can. Let's go." Dean gave her a small smile that she tried to ignore. She liked hunting with Sam and Dean, more than she liked anything else. She was so used to being alone but with the brothers it was different.

Dean walked confidently up to Sam and Sarah and leaned into the two of them. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked feigning innocence.

"No." Sam glared at his brother.

"Not at all." Sarah agreed.

Dean did a double take between them, "Huh. Apparently."

Ignoring his comment, Sam asked, "So, what'd you get?"

"Paydirt. Apparently the surviving relatives of the Merchant family were so ashamed of Isaiah that they didn't want him interred with the rest of the family. So, they handed him over to the county, the county gave him a pauper's funeral. Economy style. Turns out he wasn't cremated; he was buried in a pine box." Dean explained.

"So there are bones to burn." Sam glanced at Grace.

"There are bones to burn." Dean and Grace said simultaneously. Dean made a face at Grace but she could only smile. She didn't think picking up on some of Dean's habits was a terrible thing.

"Tell me you know where." Sam looked at them.

"Of course." Grace smiled sweetly.

OoOoOo

After a long drive to the outskirts of the town, the sun was already down. Grace wanted to sleep and call Bobby. Sam wanted five minutes alone with Sarah. And Dean just wanted to leave this town.

Sarah held the flashlight and shone it down on Sam and Dean. Grace held a shovel and wiped dirt from her jeans. Sam crawled out of the grave and stood next to Sarah.

"You guys seem to be uncomfortably comfortable with this." Sarah noted. She was surprised that a girl would be comfortable with any of this at all. But, Grace was not typical to her. Even though she could dress up and play the part, she knew that Grace was a part of this world.

"Well, ah, this isn't exactly the first grave we've dug. Still think I'm a catch?" Sam flirted.

Sarah laughed. Grace felt a pang of jealousy. She hadn't ever really felt that sense of camaraderie with a guy. Hell, she was as innocent as they come, but no one would ever know it by looking at her.

Grace heard the tap of Dean's shovel on something. The noise shook her from her unpleasant thoughts.

"Think I've got something." Dean shouted.

He cracked open the coffin lid and revealed the body. "Gracie hand me the salt." Dean called, still looking down at the body. Her stomach flipped. No one called her Gracie really anymore. Except John. It was more a term of endearment than anything. Grace obediently grabbed the salt out of the duffel and tossed it down to Dean, who had crawled out from the grave.

Dean poured the salt, while Sam poured the kerosene. Grace had moved to stand beside Sarah.

Dean struck a match, "You've been a real pain in the ass Isaiah. Good riddance." He tossed it in and flames engulfed the bones. Grace watched the flames and glanced at Dean. The firelight danced across his face making him look far more attractive than she wanted to admit.

OoOoOo

Just to make sure that the burning of the painting did the trick, they decided to drive back to Evelyn's house. Grace and Sarah sat in the backseat, while Dean drove. Grace stared out the window at the passing trees and houses. Everything was completely normal. She didn't really want this hunt to end because then she would have to leave. And she was not ready for that.

A few minutes later the Impala came to a stop and Sam opened the passenger door, "Keep the motor running." He told Dean.

"I thought the painting was harmless now?" Sarah questioned.

"Better safe than sorry. We're gonna bury the sucker." Sam responded.

Grace watched with pure fascination as Sarah unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. "I'm going with you." She looked up at Sam and headed towards the house.

Dean yelled, "Hey! We'll stay here, you go make your move." Sam scoffed and walked away from them.

"Sam, I'm serious!" Dean yelled. Grace was highly amused. Dean turned on the radio and some love song began to play.

"Perfect." Grace leaned up beside Dean and turned the music up higher. A little bit of embarrassment never hurt anyone. Dean and Grace shared a chuckle as Sam turned around and threw his arms up. Dean looked completely innocent but Grace turned the music off.

"He's no fun." Dean pouted.

Grace shrugged, "He'll get there. Think he's bummed about leaving?"

"I don't know," he paused, "Are you?"

Grace was caught off guard by the question. But, she kept her composure. "There will be more hunts and I'm sure we'll run into each other again." She tried to put a positive spin on a situation that she wasn't entirely ecstatic about.

Dean hesitated, but said, "You could always just stay with Sam and I."

Grace's heart thudded and she stared at Dean, disbelieving. She wasn't that good of an actress. Hunting with Sam and Dean, possibly indefinitely? And Dean had offered? Things had really changed from the first time they met.

"Wouldn't want to drag you guys down." Grace teased.

"That's true, but we don't mind." Dean had an answer for everything.

"Is Sam okay with this?" She already knew the answer.

"Yes, we talked about it already. We're both trying to find Dad and we work well together." Dean said proudly, as if he had thought of everything. She wondered when they had talked and what had been said.

"Then yes, I formally accept your invitation." She wouldn't like anything more.

Dean was about to say something else but they heard a loud slam. It was the front door of Evelyn's house. Grace and Dean were out of the car in an instant. She sprinted to the front door and shoved all her weight into it.

"Son of a bitch." Dean grunted, trying to open the door beside her.

"Is that you guys!" Sam yelled from the other side.

"Sammy, you all right?" Dean called back.

Just then Dean's phone rang and he hastily picked it up. Grace didn't let up on trying to open the door.

"Tell me you slammed the front door." Dean asked too hopefully.

Grace stopped and listened.

"Girl? What girl?" Dean asked in a rush.

Grace was putting it together. It was probably one of her favorite parts of the hunt, when she finally figured out the who and what. In this case, they had been wrong.

"Dean, it's the little girl." Grace stared at him.

Dean nodded in response, "Wasn't the dad looking down at her? Maybe he was trying to warn us."

"Not the time for this." Grace muttered.

"Well I'm trying to pick the lock, the door won't budge," Dean explained, "Okay genius, let me just grab my battering ram."

Grace stared at the door and hoped that Sam and Sarah would be safe on the other side.

"Well you're just gonna have to hold it off until we figure something out. Get some salt or iron." Dean closed the phone.

"We need to hurry. We need to get to the mausoleum." Grace spoke seriously.

Dean was impressed, but he only nodded, "Let's go."

OoOoOo

Dean sped the whole way to the mausoleum. Grace prayed they wouldn't get pulled over. She was anxious and hoped that this would work. As soon as Dean came to a halt, Grace jumped out of the car and Dean followed suit.

She was winded by the time they reached the mausoleum but the adrenaline is enough to keep her on her toes. Dean smasheed on the glass that held the doll that contained the little girls hair with the butt of his gun, but it doesn't break.

He turned back to run towards the Impala. Grace rolled her eyes and pulled her gun out of the waist of her pants and shot the glass. "Grab your lighter." She said over her shoulder. She hears him mutter under his breath and she almost laughed. He's flustered.

Grace grabbed the doll and tossed it to Dean. He tried to light it but to no avail. "Come on, come on!" he yells. After a few more seconds of trying it finally lights. Smoke and fire engulf the doll. He dropped it on the floor and pulls out his phone.

"Sam you good?" He asked hurriedly.

Dean nodded in affirmation and closed the phone. He let out a breath and looked up at Grace. They stare at each other for a long moment and then let out a shaky laugh. The rush of it is intense, but when it's over the relief does something funny to you.

"That was too close." Dean felt comfortable to admit it.

"You're telling me." Grace still hasn't caught her breath.

Dean looks like he wants to say something, but says, "We should get back to the motel."

"Let's go."

OoOoOo

They were driving to the auction house to say goodbye to Sarah. Sam had been really quiet since they had all gotten back to the motel last night. Dean had stayed pretty quiet too. And now that they were leaving, Grace wasn't sure where to go next. She hadn't researched any other hunt or caught wind of anything.

"So Sam, it looks like I'll be hunting with you guys from now on." Grace announced, breaking the silence.

Sam finally genuinely smiled, "Really? Good."

"I'll just need to find somewhere to keep my truck." Grace murmured.

"It's a hunk of junk. Ditch it." Dean said cheekily.

Grace grew defensive and pinched Dean's arm. He flinched, "What! It's true!" Sam chuckled and stared back out the window.

"It's not junk. It's mine." She crossed her arms and stared out the window.

"Great now we're all brooding." Dean said as he pulled the car to a stop. Sam scoffed and got out of the car before anyone else. He walked briskly towards the auction house. Grace was sure he just wanted a few minutes alone before she and Dean could spoil it.

Dean reached over and opened the glove compartment. He pulled out some papers that they had gotten at the courthouse. As they got out of the car Grace asked, "Why do you have those?"

"Did some light reading last night, found something interesting in here. Thought I'd share it with everyone." Dean grinned like a child. He was too excited over having information.

"I'm on the edge of my seat." Grace playfully nudged him. Dean just laughed as they walked inside the auction house.

Sam was standing beside Sarah. He looked irritated when they walked up, but only because of their interruption. Dean held up his papers, not caring about his intrusion, "This was archived in the county records. The Merchant's adopted daughter Melanie. Know why she was up for adoption? 'Cause her real family was murdered in their beds."

"She killed them?" The shock showed on Sarah's face.

"Yeah. Who'd suspect her? Sweet little girl. So then she kills Isaiah and his family. The old man takes the blame. His spirit's been trying to warn people ever since." Dean explained. He was clearly proud of himself.

A worker walked through holding the painting.

"So where's this one go?" The man asked.

"Take it out back and burn it." Sarah spoke with no hesitation.

Everyone stopped and stared at her. Grace could see she and Nora getting along famously, but it did not seem like that was in the cards for them.

"I'm serious guys." She said once more. The worker just nodded and walked away.

"So why'd the girl do it?" Sarah asked Grace.

"Killing others? Killing herself? Some people are just born tortured. So when they die, their spirits are just as dark." Grace explained.

"Maybe. I don't really care. It's over, we move on." Dean said briskly. She clenched her jaw at him and glared at him. He was the definition of didn't want to let her disappointment show. However it was obvious.

"Ahh... I guess this means you're leaving." She tried to smile at Sam.

Sam stared at Grace and Dean. Grace spoke first, "It was great meeting you Sarah. Sorry it was on these terms." Grace meant it.

"See you Sarah." Dean said.

Dean stood there awkwardly. Grace sometimes just couldn't believe him. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him away. Like a child, Dean grumbled, "I'm the one that burned the doll, destroyed the spirit, but don't thank me or anything."

"Shut up Dean." Grace said as they made their way back to the Impala.  
Dean leant against the car. "We aren't going to give them any privacy?" Grace asked.

"I'm just watching. No harm done." Dean crossed his arms over his chest. Grace followed suit and stood beside him. He looked down at her and smiled. She noticed he looked tired, but he was trying to be in good spirits.

They stood in a comfortable silence. They watched as Sarah opened the door and begin to shut it behind him. When the door closed Dean shook his head and turned around, the keys jingling in his hands. Grace felt a rush of disappointment but her heart leapt when she saw Sam turn back to the door. She tapped Dean's shoulder and he turned around to watch.

Sarah opened the door, a pleasantly surprised expression across her face. Sam immediately kissed Sarah. "That's my boy." Dean smiled like a proud parent. He looked down at Grace, "Come on, let's go."

Their work in New York was finished for the time being.

OoOoOo

Grace slammed the shot glass down and shivered. Sam laughed and put his arm around her and shook her shoulder. He motioned to the bartender for another round. It had been a week since New York and Sarah. No one said anything else about her, not since they left. Sam had been in better spirits and they were all searching for the next hunt.

Tonight, tonight was more so about fun. Grace wasn't a big drinker, so shots of jaeger probably weren't the greatest idea but she was having fun. She was just thankful her fake ID was so convincing.

"I think you'll be able to outdrink me." Grace admitted.

"I think so too. But it'll be fun to try. I'm glad you decided to come with us." Sam admitted, the alcohol loosening him up.

"Me too." Grace wasn't used to this much companionship, but she liked it.

The bartender brought the shots back and winked at Grace. He was cute enough, dark hair and a scruffy beard. They were at a bar that was a well-known spot for hunters to come and regroup. But, she wasn't interested in any of them.

"Alright, here we go." Sam raised his glass to Grace. She had never suspected she would be doing shots with Sam Winchester. What was the world coming to? She didn't expect him to let loose, because she had never seen it.

Grace knocked it back and this time there was no shiver. Her mouth felt numb and her legs were tingling. Suddenly, she couldn't stop smiling. She looked around and spotted Dean. He was talking to a short leggy blonde in a black mini skirt and tight top. Her make up was a bit over the top and her skin was an unnatural tan. Essentially, she was the exact opposite of Grace.

She wanted to roll her eyes. She looked back at Sam, who had been watching her. She was glad her face was already flushed. Sam ran his hands through his hair and sat back on the barstool. Grace took a seat as well.

Dean quickly came to stand between the two of them. He smelt like a summer night and alcohol, which drew Grace in.

"Alright, having fun over here?" Dean asked.

Grace raised her drink sarcastically and took a drink. Dean watched her, his eyebrow raised. "Might want to slow down there Gracie." Dean half laughed, but his warning was genuine.

Grace looked back past Dean to the girl. She was clearly waiting on him. "Your friend is getting anxious there." Grace commented.

Dean looked back at the woman, "Yeah, well I'll be back a little later. Just checking in on you two." Dean's mind was on one thing. She was not sure why she was so surprised. He quickly scuffed up Sam's hair and without another word was leaving the bar with the mystery woman.

"So, are you going to make me ask?" Sam looked at her when Dean was gone.

Grace leant over the bar and asked the bartender for two beers. She was nonspecific because she didn't really care. But when she looked back at Sam, he was still staring. She let out a breath.

"You want to know my favorite color? Or my most interesting hunt? Or-" She was interrupted by Sam.

"You and Dean seem to get along a lot better than I expected." Sam stated bluntly.

Grace laughed, "Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

"Sammy, I think the alcohol is starting to mess with your mind." Grace sighed.

"Maybe. But you looked pretty irritated when you saw him with that girl." Sam noted.

"Well he could do better." Grace was relieved when their drinks came.

"It's what he does. She means nothing. You and him are different." Sam was vocalizing his observations. Over the last two weeks they had of course bickered and been irritated with each other. However, there were some nights Sam would wake up and Dean and Grace were still up talking.

"We're friends. Hunting together creates a bond." Grace chugged her drink as fast as she could. She was hoping that maybe she would get too drunk and wouldn't have to have this conversation with Sam. She didn't sit around and analyze her feelings for anyone and she wasn't going to start now.

"Grace," he paused, "I shouldn't have said anything."

"You didn't say anything wrong. Let's keep this going." She must have been unconvincing, because Sam did not look pleased.

"Sam, I'm serious. Let's just have one night of fun. We're young and carefree." She winked. Sam shook his head and laughed.

An hour and a half later, and too many drinks later, Grace was spinning. She was kind of in a haze. She hoped she didn't look as out of sorts as she felt. Sam was standing at the bar, while she sat in a booth and waited. She was at the point where she just wanted to feel normal again. She made a mental note: do not drink to avoid problems. She didn't even look up when someone slid into the booth beside her.

"Grace? You okay there?" She looked up and saw Dean. He was only wearing his t-shirt and jeans.

"Where's your jacket?" She thought she said, but Dean responded like she had something crazy. He got out of the booth and motioned for her to follow. Grace moved too slowly for Dean and he helped her out of the booth. She slumped against him. All she could smell was strong perfume and she could see glitter on his neck. Or was she imagining that? She tried to push Dean away, but stumbled. He held onto her tighter, his hand around her waist. His hand was on her bare skin.

Sam walked over, looking extremely guilty. "Sam, she's nineteen you can't just shove alcohol down her throat."

Sam didn't have a chance to say anything, as she and Dean were already headed towards the exit. Her body sluggishly pressed against Dean. She closed her eyes and tried to stop the spinning.

 **Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be all original content, which I'm pretty excited about! Also coming up is some more backstory on Grace. Review/comment, thanks :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Part 1

Grace woke up with a pounding headache, her mouth dry. The shades were closed on the windows but she felt like it was still too bright. She sat up slowly. She was in a t-shirt that wasn't hers and her cotton-blue underwear. She let out a groan.

"Morning sunshine." She heard Dean say.

She held her head in her hands. What the hell happened last night? She slowly looked over at the elder Winchester. He was sitting at the desk in their motel room. He looked rather comfortable and cocky as he looked at her.

Grace weakly waved.

Dean laughed as he moved towards her. He handed her a bottle of water and some Ibuprofen. She took it immediately, still not making eye contact. Dean sat on the bed opposite from her. She wondered where Sam was.

"I'm going to take it you don't drink often." Dean had a smirk on his face that Grace thought was never going to go away.

Grace groaned and lay back down and turned to face Dean. Her stomach contents churned. "What gave it away?" She weakly responded. She could taste the vomit on her mouth. All she remembered was Sam and her drinking at the bar. Dean was with a girl? Something was said about Dean? But she didn't even remember getting back to the motel.

"How'd I get back here?" Grace chanced a look at him.

"I carried you. Then you threw up all over the place." Dean told her nonchalantly.

Grace groaned and Dean laughed.

"How bad was it?" Grace looked at him.

"It wasn't too bad. You shouldn't drink so much." Dean chided.

"I'm aware. It was one night." She looked at Dean and was glad she couldn't remember.

"The best part was when you took your pants off and threw them at me." Dean was enjoying this too much.

"You probably deserved it." She cracked a smile. She couldn't even feel embarrassed. She was fairly certain that last night she wanted to hit him anyways.

Dean shrugged. He leant down and grabbed Grace's duffle. He set it on the bed, "You should get dressed. We're gonna get some breakfast and hopefully find a hunt."

Grace nodded. Dean stood up and went to go to the bathroom.

He paused, "You know my favorite part of last night?"

"What?"

"You didn't want to let go of me last night." His eyes twinkled as he said it.

As mortified as Grace was at that, she decided to just not care. "Well I probably couldn't stand by myself." She muttered as she unzipped her bag and pulled out a pair of jeans.

"Maybe that's it Gracie."

Her heart thumped, but she just gave him a thumbs up.

She was ready for a hunt.

And a distraction.

OoOoOo

Grace picked at piece of toast, while Dean read the newspaper and Sam looked at articles on his laptop. Sam had given Grace a huge hug this morning all the while he was laughing. She was glad she got to be the butt of the jokes for now. She knew it would be Sam or Dean's turn next.

Grace's cell phone let out a loud ring, Nora's face popping up on the screen. She groaned at the noise as she answered it. Dean glanced her way but quickly went back to reading the newspaper.

"Nora, hey." Grace held her head and rested on the diner table.

"Grace! Hey, I called Bobby and he said you weren't back yet? It's been a few days, is everything alright?" Nora's voice was too energized for her. Grace took a sip of her coffee and let out a heavy sigh.

"Yeah everything is alright." Grace knew she was being short.

"You sound like shit."

"That's what a hangover does to you." Grace said drolly. Nora laughed so loud that Sam looked up and smirked. Grace was not a drinker, but Nora was. She had only drank a handful of times and she usually always had stopped before the hangover would hit.

"Who are you getting drunk with? Because it's not me!" Nora asked semi seriously.

"Well I had that hunt in upstate New York and Sam and Dean were there. Now we're hunting together…I guess." Grace finished lamely. Dean smirked down at his newspaper and Grace shoved him.

"Wait, you're hunting with Sam and Dean? Really, how interesting." Nora sounded like she was calculating something.

"Where are you?" Grace asked.

"Iowa. That was why I really called, thought we could get together and finish this case up." Nora admitted. Grace nodded, acknowledging what she was saying. Nora usually hunted with whatever guy she was seeing and now she was alone. Grace bit her lip.

"Well we're in Nebraska…" Grace bit her lip.

Dean closed his newspaper and set it on the table. Sam crossed his arms over his chest and leant back in the booth.

"So, any hunts that you are currently engaging?" Nora sounded hopeful.

"Not yet. I'll talk to them and let you know. Text me the address of your motel and I'll get back to you." Grace told her and ended the phone call. She set the phone beside her and chanced a look at the brothers, who were both staring at her.

"Who was that boozy?" Dean asked cheekily.

Grace wanted to give him the finger, but instead she simply responded, "A friend of mine, Nora, she's got a hunt in Iowa. Asked if we wanted to help."

"Another hunter we don't know exists?" Dean commented.

"It would appear that way," Grace paused, "So can we go? We haven't found anything else."

Sam glanced at Dean hesitantly and said, "I don't see why not."

Dean sighed, "Did she say what she was hunting?"

Grace smiled sheepishly, "Uh, not yet. But we can find out when we get there."

"Perfect." Dean muttered.

Grace's phone dinged with an address.

"Let's go." Grace groaned as she climbed out of the booth.

OoOoOo

"Just be nice." Grace said for the tenth time. They were only a few minutes away from the motel Nora had checked into according to the GPS. Dean rolled his eyes and Sam just chuckled.

"I'm nice." Dean stated.

Grace scoffed, "That's not the word I would use. I'm serious, she's my best friend and she's a good hunter."

"How long have you known her?" Sam asked.

"Since I was twelve." Grace responded. She took a sip of her Gatorade that they had picked up at a gas station. She felt better than she had in the morning.

"Does Dad know her?" Sam turned to look back at Grace.

Grace nodded, "Yeah. He thinks she's a bad influence." Grace smiled as she looked out the window.

OoOoOo

Nora ran up and hugged Grace, a girlish squeal emanating from her. Dean stiffened, not realizing what he had gotten himself into. He was not sure he was ready to be dealing with the girls. On the other hand, Sam smiled at the scene before him.

Grace grinned and wrapped her arms around Nora.

"I'm so happy you're here!" Nora laughed.

Grace took a breath and shrugged, "We weren't having much luck finding a hunt."

"Or you weren't looking hard enough," Nora paused, "You smell like whiskey."

Grace felt her stomach lurch and she flushed. Nora raised her eyebrow. She knew Grace was not one to drink.

"It was Sam's fault." Grace copped out.

Nora nodded slowly and turned her attention to the Winchesters. Sam looked amused, while Dean just stared. He had never seen Grace smile so big or laugh so hard. It was a sight he wouldn't mind seeing more often.

"So you two are the famous Winchesters." Nora studied them.

Sam extended his hand, "Sam Winchester. This is my brother Dean."

Nora shook his hand, "Nice to meet you both. Although, I gotta say I'm not too thrilled that Grace here is hungover for the start of our hunt."

Grace picked up two of the duffel bags and groaned, "All right let's go inside. Fill us in on what we missed." Dean smiled awkwardly at Nora and followed Grace into the motel room. He did not like feeling like she was watching his every move.

Grace set the duffels on the floor and turned to face Dean. "I promise she's not bad. You just have to warm up a little." Grace tried to sound convincing.

"She's ah, she's perky." Dean tried.

Grace smiled weakly and sat down at the cheap dining table. She would have to change soon if they were going to go to the crime scene. Nora came in, Sam followed. Both were deep in conversation already. Grace had never seen Sam so animated.

Dean cleared his throat at Sam.

"Anyways, the hunt?" Sam said awkwardly.

Nora sat down on the edge of the bed and handed a manila folder to Grace. She took it and began to flip through the pages and images Nora had compiled. "This morning Steven Miller was found dead in his sons bedroom. His wrists were slit and his blood alcohol was through the roof." Nora said briefly.

Dean nodded, "And?"

Nora stared at him, "And there were no signs of forced entry or foul play. His wife and daughter were asleep in the other rooms."

Grace looked up at Nora, "Wait, where was his son?"

"What?" Nora responded.

"You said he was found in his sons room."

Nora nodded, "Right, that's the weird thing. Their son disappeared. He's been a missing person for two years. They don't know where he is."

Sam chimed in, "That's a little strange."

Nora nodded, "We need to go to the scene and someone needs to get an autopsy report."

"They probably haven't even finished it." Grace sighed and rubbed her head.

"By the time we get over there it'll be done. His body was found at one this morning. His home is still a crime scene. And they rushed the autopsy report. Two of us go and talk to the family, look at the scene and the other two go get the autopsy report." Nora liked being the one in control during hunts.

Dean looked up at Nora, "What was this guys job?"

"He was a lawyer, going to run for office."

Dean grunted in response.

"How old was the son when he went missing?" Sam asked, his interest piqued.

"He was fifteen."

There was a silence, then Grace spoke up.

"I'll go to the house, talk to the family and whatnot." Grace glanced up from the article she was reading.

Nora frowned, "I wanted to go get the autopsy report."

Sam jumped in, "Yeah, I'll cover the report with Nora."

Grace nodded and went into the bathroom with a change of clothes.

"Great."

OoOoOo

The Miller household was beyond stereotypical. It was in a nice suburb with expensive houses that looked like they had been cut from magazine. Every lawn was a perfect shade of green, newly mowed. The sun was shining down on all the houses. The only thing setting apart this house was the caution tape surrounding it.

"I'll never choose a place like this to live." Grace grumbled. She had changed into a pencil skirt and navy blouse. She pulled her hair up, brushed her teeth again, and put on some makeup to make herself look more awake.

"Oh yeah?"

"I'll live on the countryside away from everyone." Grace softly smiled. She liked the solitude. Dean nodded in agreement. They walked up to the caution tape and an officer approached them.

"This is a crime scene, no unauthorized personnel." He tried to sound in charge, but his voice was shaky. It was clear he was new, which only boosted Grace's confidence.

Dean opened his badge and Grace followed suit. "Detective Rose and this is my partner, Detective Adler. We're here to conduct an investigation since your crew is doing such a bang up job." Dean glared at the man.

The man swallowed, "Look, Detective Rose don't make me get my supervisor."

Grace bit the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't smile. "Please go get him so we can explain to him why we are not a step closer to finding out what happened to this man because you won't let two FBI agents into the scene."

Dean raised his eyebrows at the officer, who meekly began to lift the caution tape. Grace ducked under and Dean followed suit. Grace impressed him, yet again. For being so young she was able to hold her own.

They moved into the house bypassing the other officers and reporters. It looked like the average American family. Pictures portrayed happy smiles and loving parents. The house looked like Martha Stewart had decorated it. Aside from the son's bedroom, the place was immaculate.

Grace moved up the stairs, ignoring the pictures dangling in front of her. She flashed her badge to another officer outside the bedroom, but this time there was no issue. Grace saw the dark blood on the pure white carpets. The contrast startled her. Three bottles of scotch surrounded the bloody mess. Other than that it was a typical bedroom that belonged to a fifteen-year-old boy. Sports posters, memorabilia, and a photo of him and who Grace assumed was his younger sister.

"It's a lot of blood." Grace murmured.

Dean nodded, "Do we know what he used to cut his wrists?"

Another officer chimed in, "Broken glass from one of the bottles. Pretty gruesome if you ask me." Dean gave him a look, but Grace mustered up a genuine smile.

"Do you know where his wife and daughter are?" She asked.

"Yeah, downstairs in the kitchen."

"Let's go." Grace murmured.

OoOoOo

"I've already been questioned." Chelsea Miller responded angrily. Her eyes were swollen, her hair a mess. It was obvious that she had not slept at all. Lilly sat beside her mother. She was a small girl with bright red hair that waved perfectly around her shoulders. Grace hated bothering the victim's families but it was necessary.

"I know you have. But we just have a few questions." Grace said as politely as she could.

"Okay." Chelsea conceded.

"Did your husband drink often?" Grace asked.

Chelsea wiped her eyes, "He had a stressful job, and he drank sometimes to handle it."

Dean cut in, "Do you think his drinking affected his relationships?"

"No."

Grace could tell that she was not going to be cooperative. "Do you have any reason to believe that he would want to hurt himself?" Dean tried again.

Chelsea stared at him in disbelief, "No, of course not. He was going to run for office and he had me and Lilly."

"What about Jacob?" Grace tried.

Chelsea stiffened, "Jacob ran away."

"I understand that, but did that cause any stress on your husband?"

She made a face at Grace, "Do you have any children detective?"

Grace shook her head, "No ma'am."

"Well children are stressful."

"So Jacob being here added stress?" Dean asked.

Chelsea shook her head, "He was a good son, but he ran away which caused more problems than before."

Grace studied Chelsea; something about her was very off putting. She did not like her attitude. Her son had disappeared and her husband had allegedly killed himself and she seemed so cocky and irritated. She was not the grieving widow Grace had imagined.

"How do you know he ran away?" Grace observed the shift in her facial expression.

"What are you suggesting?" She was affronted.

"I'm not suggesting anything. I thought he disappeared." Grace tried. Dean put his hand on her lower back. Grace glanced at him feeling undeterred.

"We're done here." Chelsea bit out.

Grace nodded and walked away. Dean stood there, cleared his throat and said, "I apologize for my partner. I have to ask if there is anyone you could think of who would want to hurt your husband."

Chelsea hesitated, "The only person I can think of is Eric Wallace, his opponent in the race for office."

Dean nodded. He glanced down at Lilly.

She stared at him with almost pleading eyes.

OoOoOo

"What was that?" Dean asked as soon as they were driving. Nora had called and told them to come back to the motel. Apparently the autopsy report held some interesting news. Grace shook her head.

"What?"

"That wasn't professional."

Grace scoffed, "Coming from you."

Dean clenched his jaw and ignored her statement. He was serious in the situations that called for it and respectful in the same instances. "Grace, come on. Her husband just died and she only has her daughter left."

"Well I would have liked to have talked to her daughter, but we didn't get that opportunity." She said bitterly.

"She'll be less likely to share anything with us because of you responded to her." Dean pointed out.

Grace let out a breath, "She's hiding something."

"You can't know that."

Changing the subject and avoiding a fight, Grace asked, "Did she say anything else?"

"Yeah, something about an Eric Wallace. Apparently he was running against Steven for mayor. We'll have to look into it." Dean shrugged.

"Alright." Grace said.

Dean paused, then said, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Grace looked out the window and shut her eyes.

"I'm okay."

OoOoOo

"So he would have been unconscious before he could have killed himself?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded, "Yes, with his blood alcohol as high as it was."

Dean nodded, trying to comprehend what he was hearing.

"What about you guys?" Nora asked.

"Well Steven's wife was not helpful in the least. She said his drinking wasn't a problem. We asked her about her son and she believes he ran away. We need to look into a guy named Eric Wallace." Dean explained.

Sam nodded, "On it. What do you need to know about him?"

"The wife thinks he had reason to hurt Steven. They were both running for mayor."

"Anything else?" Nora asked.

Grace shook her head.

"I would have liked to talk to her daughter, but the wife was defensive enough." Dean added in.

Nora didn't take her eyes off Grace, "All right. Next time."

Grace couldn't shake what she was feeling. She was worried for Lilly and anxious about her mother. But she would have to wait.

"I have an address for Eric Wallace. 523 Lakeshore Drive." Sam looked up.

Dean changed his focus to Sam, "Let's go."

Sam hesitated, but shut his laptop and moved to follow Dean out.

OoOoOo

Eric Wallace was a short and stocky man who was balding.

"We have reason to believe you might have wanted to hurt Steven Miller." Sam said sternly.

Eric Wallace stared and then burst into laughter. Dean raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest. "This man is dead and people think you had something to do with it. Not the best time to be laughing." Dean said sternly. His mood was thrown off from this afternoon with Grace.

"Listen, I just heard of Steven's suicide this afternoon. I was home all night with my wife and three kids. There's security tapes if you don't believe me." Eric's smile had cleared from his face.

"Then why are fingers being pointed at you?" Sam questioned.

Eric shrugged, "I was his opponent."

"That's not going to cut it." Dean countered.

Eric hesitated and then let out a heavy breath. He stood up quickly and closed the glass doors to his office. Sam and Dean exchanged a look.

"Listen, in any campaign there's dirt. None of us are perfect and when you're in the public eye, you want things to look perfect." Eric explained.

"Steven had dirt on you." Dean started connecting the dots.

Eric nodded.

"What did he know?" Sam asked.

Eric cleared his throat, "I uh…I'm having an affair."

Dean rolled his eyes. How cliché. "Alright, that's great. But why didn't he tell anyone?"

"I would have exposed him right back."

"With what?"

Eric shook his head, a serious look forming on his face. "He was a terrible father."

"That's a little underwhelming compared to your affair, don't you think?" Dean countered.

Eric shook his head, "No, I mean he beat Jacob. I saw the marks and one night I saw it happen. Steven was a terrible drunk and he took it out on that boy. No wonder he ran away."

Dean and Sam looked at each other.

This changed things.

OoOoOo

"Grace, wake up." Nora put her hand on Grace's shoulder. Grace slowly opened her eyes. The sun had gone down, the room was dimly lit. She looked around the room as she sat up. Sam and Dean weren't back yet.

"How long have I been asleep?" Grace asked.

"Almost two hours. We're gonna go meet Sam and Dean for dinner." Nora said. Grace nodded and slowly crawled out of bed. She leant over her bag and pulled out a new change of clothes. She grabbed a black lacey top and jeans. Nora sat on the edge of the bed.

"Are you going to stare at me all night?" Grace snapped.

Nora held up her hands, "Sorry. You've just been acting strange since you got back from the house."

Grace began to change, "I was just tired. Sorry for being cranky."

"Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with the mother being a total bitch to you and the dad being an abusive alcoholic?" Nora was not one to mince words. Grace stopped buttoning her shirt and glared at Nora.

"What?"

"Sam and Dean went and talked to that Eric guy. Turns out he knew that Steven was abusing his son. You and Dean will go back and talk to Chelsea tomorrow. And you'll have good reason to talk to Lilly." Nora explained.

"Can we just not talk about this case anymore?" Grace sighed.

"Why not?"

"You know why." Grace replied.

Nora bit her lip.

"Okay."

OoOoOo

Everyone had a beer, except Grace who was sticking with water. Grace was happy she liked bar food so much. She picked at some fries and had stayed quiet while the others discussed the case. This was one that was just hitting to close to home for her, but she wasn't ready to talk about it.

Nora stared out at the dance floor, "Grace, wanna dance with me?"

Grace's first instinct was to say no, but instead she smiled, "Sure." It was the perfect distraction for her. Some country song played loudly and Grace allowed herself to move along with the music.

Dean tried not to watch her as he took a sip of his drink. She was a mystery to him. She had seemed off all day and not because of her hangover. And now she was suddenly dancing with a smile on her face. It was one of those moments where she was being carefree and Dean thoroughly enjoyed seeing her distressed.

Sam slid Dean a napkin.

"What's this for?" Dean stared, clearly confused.

"It's to wipe the drool off your chin. I don't get you man." Sam chuckled.

Dean pushed the napkin away and rolled his eyes. "Shut up Sam." He bit out.

"I mean seriously though. One second you can't stand her, now she's hunting with us and you two are suddenly buddy buddy. Maybe more…" Sam explained.

Dean shook his head, "She's close to Dad. I'm watching out for her because that's what he would want."

"Whatever you say."

Just then Grace came up to the table with a refreshed smile on her face, "Sam would you please dance with Nora? I'm done for the night."

"Why not?" Sam smiled and gave Dean one last glance.

Grace scooted in where Sam had just left. She reached for her water and took a giant gulp. As her eyes settled on Dean she realized he was already watching her.

"What's up?" She asked

Dean paused, then said, "This hunt…it's bothering you?"

Grace sighed. She was this close to actually enjoying the evening. "Dean, can we just not tonight? We have a long day tomorrow and I just want to have some fun for the rest of tonight."

Dean nodded.

He understood the feeling.

OoOoOo

"Okay, I'm going to talk to Lilly. You can handle the monster." Grace whispered as they approached the Miller home.

"Grace." Dean chastised.

"I'm just saying. I'm better with kids anyway." Grace tried again.

"Alright, try and keep your cool today." Dean suggested.

"She's seven. I don't think she is going get under my skin." Grace retorted.

OoOoOo

"Was your husband abusive towards your son?" Dean asked.

Chelsea shifted uncomfortably. She avoided Dean's gaze and her eyes began to tear up. Dean was not sure whether or not she was being sincere.

"It wasn't all the time," she hesitated, "Steven would drink and he'd become so violent. I tried to stop him, but it was no use."

"Did he ever hit you?" Dean asked.

She shook her head, horrified at the thought.

"What about your daughter?" Dean asked.

"No, of course not."

Dean could see why Grace had not been a fan of the woman. She was mentally warped and Dean did not understand her.

"I'm going to ask you a question and I want the truth," Dean watched her respond and then asked, "Did Jacob really run away?"

Chelsea bit her lip, "I don't know."

Dean stared at the woman, his stomach tightening with disgust. He decided to leave just as Chelsea spoke up.

"I have a question for you Detective."

"What?" Dean asked.

"How did you know about Jacob…and Steven?" Chelsea questioned.

"Eric Wallace told me." Dean felt no need to hide the truth.

"Eric?"

"Yeah, apparently Mr. Wallace was blackmailing your husband with this information."

She scoffed, "Why was he blackmailing Steven? What could he possibly want?"

"Eric Wallace was having an affair. Your husband knew."

Chelsea stared; shock and despair covered her face. Dean registered the shift in her facial expression.

"What?" Dean asked.

"I didn't know Steven knew." She was nearly inaudible.

"Didn't know what?"

"Eric and I had been having an affair for years." Chelsea murmured.

Dean could only stare.

Sometimes he hated his job.

OoOoOo

"Hi Lilly, I'm Grace." Grace smiled sweetly as she sat before the little girl. She smiled shyly at Grace.

"Hi."

"I just wanted to ask you some questions, okay?" Grace asked.

Lilly nodded.

"The night that your daddy died, did you hear or see anything strange?" Grace questioned.

Lilly shook her head.

"Did you like your daddy?"

Lilly seemed uncomfortable, "Sometimes."

"Was he mean sometimes?"

Lilly nodded.

"Did he ever hurt you or your mom?" Grace felt strange asking these questions.

Lilly shook her head.

"What about your brother?"

Lilly nodded, her cheeks reddened.

"Is that why he ran away?" Grace knew in her gut that Jacob didn't just run away. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew it wasn't just a normal suicide case.

"I don't know."

"Lilly, I know you're scared. But it's okay, I'm here to help you and your mom." Grace spoke earnestly.

Lilly stayed quiet.

Grace nodded in understanding. "Alright, well this is my phone number. I want you to call me if you remember anything or need anything." Grace handed Lilly a small card that she had scribbled her name and number on. She set it beside Lilly land stood to leave the room.

She hoped she would get a phone call.

OoOoOo

"She was sleeping with Eric Wallace? And Steven knew? This is like a soap opera." Grace slid her hair out of her ponytail and shook it out. They were driving back to the motel so Dean and Sam could speak to Eric Wallace again.

"Yeah, can you believe that? These people live freaky lives behind the nice houses and fancy jobs." Dean shook his head, "What about Lilly? She say anything useful?"

Grace shook her head, "Not really. I gave her my phone number and I told her to call if she needs anything. I hope she will."

"Good work Gracie."

OoOoOo

Dean and Sam had left the to further interrogate Eric Wallace. Grace sat at the desk researching on her laptop. She had hacked into the local police station to see if she could find any more information about Steven Miller. It turned out he had two DUI's and three domestic disturbance calls in the last three years.

Grace rolled her eyes and closed the laptop screen.

"What's up?" Nora asked.

"This guy was an alcoholic and he was abusive. He should have been in jail." Grace rubbed her face and looked at Nora. Nora nodded in understanding.

"Sometimes the system fails." Nora muttered.

"No kidding."

There was a silence amongst them then Nora said, "So what's been up with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Grace. You've been quiet and kind of withdrawn. And I know you don't want to talk about it, but I think we should."

Grace nodded, "Yeah, I know. Just been focused on the hunt, that's all."

Nora hesitated, "I didn't realize that the hunt was going to involve all of this."

"I know you didn't. It's okay."

Nora studied Grace, not really believing her. But, what could she say? Nora knew some of Grace's past, but she didn't ever pry or ask questions.

Deciding to change the mood, Nora then said, "You know what else I didn't know about?"

Grace stared, "What?"

"You and Dean?"

Grace laughed outright, "What?"

"There's something there right? And you totally downplayed how attractive they are. I mean damn."

Grace laughed, "There's nothing there."

"Yeah okay."

Grace's cell phone rang interrupting their talk. "Hey Dean." Grace answered evenly. Nora smiled and watched, completely entertained.

"Eric Wallace is dead."


	5. Chapter 4: Part 2

Sam and Dean had come back two hours earlier. Now the four of them sat in the motel room, silence surrounding them. Each one of them was completing their own personal task. Two hours prior, Sam and Dean had come back from Eric Wallace's residence. Eric Wallace had bled to death due to self-inflicted castration. According to Wallace's wife, who was completely distraught, she had no idea why he would harm himself. According to her, they had a happy marriage. Sam and Dean did not mention her husbands affair.

Grace was sure that it was a vengeful spirit, but she had kept it to herself thus far. There was not enough evidence to support her theory, yet she was beyond certain that she knew. It was an instinctual gut feeling.

"Sam, could do me a favor?" Grace glanced up from her laptop. She had lost count of how many articles she had read about Jacob Miller's disappearance. There were so many things that weren't adding up and she needed more information.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Could you get into the county jail files and read the reports about Jacob Miller going missing? And anything else about Steven Miller?" Grace asked with a smile. She was not an expert at hacking into files or cracking codes.

Sam shrugged, "Yeah, sure."

Dean raised an eyebrow, "What are you thinking?"

"Not sure yet." Grace murmured as she read more.

"But you have an idea of something." Nora could tell instantly. She had done enough hunts with Grace and had picked up on her little quirks.

"I think it's a vengeful spirit." Grace sighed.

"Whose spirit?"

"Jacob." Grace gauged their reactions. Sam was focused intently, but nodded in agreement. Dean seemed to think it over and Nora looked skeptical.

"Huh." Sam leant back and stretched his arms out.

"What's up?" Grace questioned.

"I don't know how we missed this, but Jacob wasn't reported missing for three days." Sam looked up at Grace.

"I think we should go pay Chelsea Miller a visit." Dean crossed his arms over his chest.

OoOoOo

"So what's your actual theory?" Dean asked casually.

"I think Jacob is dead and I think his mom knows something about it." Grace looked at Dean. He nodded slowly. His demeanor had changed on this hunt, just like hers had, but for different reasons.

"I guess we'll find out."

"I guess we will too." Grace stared out the window.

OoOoOo

"Why did it take you three days to report Jacob missing?" Grace asked assertively. She no longer cared if she hurt Chelsea's feeling. Chelsea's face slipped but she immediately recovered. Dean closely watched the woman. They were standing in the kitchen once more, interrogating further.

"His note said that he would be back in three days. So we waited." Chelsea attempted to explain, but she fumbled over herself.

"You don't think that's suspicious?" Dean questioned.

Chelsea said nothing.

"Okay, look, cut the crap. Steven and Eric are both dead and you don't find anything coincidental about that?" Grace asked the woman.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chelsea asked.

"It means that you need to watch out for you and your child. We are trying to help. You need to tell us what you know." Dean tried to give her as much as a warning without flat out explaining what a vengeful spirit was.

Chelsea hung her head and started to cry. Her shoulders shook violently and her face turned a shade of dark red. Grace felt a pang in her chest for the woman. She had lost two people who were close to her, but Grace still had suspicions.

Grace cleared her throat, "Have you noticed anything strange around the house?"

Chelsea wiped at her eyes, "What? Strange how?"

Dean cut in, "Flickering lights, cold spots in the house, strange smells, static on the radio or anything like that?"

Chelsea thought over the question. Grace knew that there had to be something happening. "The light in Jacob's room has been flickering for the last few nights, but other than that, no." Chelsea told them.

Dean glanced at Grace.

Lilly walked into the room, her mouth in a frown. She looked at Grace with pained eyes, but went to hold her mother's hand. "We'll give you some time, but we'll be in touch." Dean spoke authoritatively.

"You have my number if you need anything." Grace emphasized to Lilly. The little girl looked at Grace with wide eyes and blinked.

Grace offered a smile.

OoOoOo

"Dean, we need to tell them about Jacob." Grace insisted as they drove down Main Street.

"I agree it's a vengeful spirit, but if it is Jacob, we have no idea where his body is at. So burning the bones is going to be a little difficult." Dean responded.

"We can at least warn them." Grace tried.

"You're too attached to this." Dean said. He was not being accusatory or rude, but observant. He knew what it was to be attached to a hunt; hell his whole reason for hunting was due to his mother's death and his father's drive to find what killed her.

Grace clenched her jaw, "I'm not."

Dean paused, "Alright, then we need to question neighbors and read these police report about Jacob's disappearance."

"Lilly knows something." Grace conceded.

"She probably does," he paused, "I'm gonna give Sam a call."

Grace nodded.

OoOoOo

Sam and Grace sat beside one another, reading over the files that Sam had found. Nora and Dean had went to question the Miller's neighbors.

"The neighbors reported loud yelling and claim to see the car Jacob had always driven leaving the home the night he went missing." Grace paraphrased from the police report.

Sam shook his head, "I think the neighbors are reporting what they saw, but it seems off. Did you see here that three truck drivers reported seeing the vehicle out in this field off the highway?"

Grace sighed, "Jacob was murdered, I know he was. His father was more than likely the one who did it and Jacob already got his vengeance." Grace pieced together.

"Eric Wallace knew about the abuse, but did nothing." Sam added.

"So for our next potential targets, Chelsea and Lilly." Grace connected the dots.

"You think he would hurt Lilly?"

Grace shook her head, "I don't know. I don't know enough yet. She's been pretty shy every time I have tried to talk to her."

Sam looked at Grace. It was no secret that she was more invested in the case, just like he and Dean had been invested in Lawrence. However, he could not figure out what about this case stood out. In his opinion, it was a dark, more gruesome case, but he could not piece it all together.

"We're gonna figure this out." Sam spoke earnestly. Sam had a way to make you feel completely comfortable. No matter how bad you felt about something, he made you feel like any problem could be solved. His smooth voice washed over her with an urgent sense of honesty and security that had Grace believing they would figure this out.

Grace smiled, "I know."

Sam cleared his throat, "I'll call Dean and tell him to go check out this field."

She could not help but feel guilty that they were too late to save Jacob.

OoOoOo

"So you know what's been going on with Grace?" Dean asked as he drove the Impala down a seemingly country road. He and Nora had talked to the neighbors and aside from that night of yelling, no one had anything suspicious to report. It was as if they had all lived obliviously. He and Nora had driven in silence towards where numerous reports had cited individuals who claimed to have seen Jacobs's car parked. The area had been scanned and searched, but nothing was found.

After twenty minutes of no complete quiet, except for the soft hum of a guitar from the radio, Dean decided to try and communicate with Nora. Perhaps she would have insight on Grace.

Nora looked out the window and bit her lip. "How much further till we get there?"

Dean clenched his jaw, "About ten more minutes." He was fine with her avoiding the question. If someone he did not know were asking about Sam he would be completely passive as well. The sun was setting and casting an orange shade on the trees and road. Dean focused on the destination instead.

Nora tapped her dark red fingernails on the windowsill. She liked Sam and Dean for the most part, but she was not going to divulge anything about Grace. However, she could appreciate his curiosity.

"At least if Jacob's body is here, we can salt and burn it and get outta this town." Nora chanced a look at Dean.

He nodded, "Where you headed next?"

Nora shrugged, "Who knows. My uncle is out in Vegas, maybe drop by and see him."

Dean did not dislike Nora, but he was not sure what else to talk about. He pulled off to the side of the road and took the keys out of the ignition. Dean moved and opened the trunk, grabbed two shovels and a small duffel bag. He handed Nora a shovel and then began to walk towards the clearing.

"So how do we know where to dig?" Nora asked.

Dean surveyed the area, looking for signs that a grave had been dug. Since he disappeared so long ago, he was not sure there would be any obvious landmarks. But his gaze stopped on a raised spot in the ground. How had the cops missed that? Then Dean internally laughed at the thought. He did not put a lot of stock in law enforcement.

"There." Dean motioned ahead of them.

Nora noticed the ground and smiled, "Good eye, Winchester."

They began to dig in a comfortable silence. The time passed quickly with the both of them digging. Dean's thoughts flickered to what Sam and Grace were doing. He knew they were probably doing a little bit more research, but waiting to hear back from him and Nora.

"I dug my first grave with your dad and Grace." Nora shared a small piece of her history to show Dean that she was capable of having a conversation with him.

Dean stopped digging for a moment, and then continued. "I keep learning things about him I never knew." Dean kept his focus on digging.

"Must be a surprise to find out all of this stuff." Nora gauged his reaction.

He grunted, "Something like that."

The shovel hit something and a crack resonated. Dean and Nora exchanged a glance. They both knew it was the sound of metal on bone. Nora climbed up and grabbed the salt and made sure the matches were in her back pocket. Dean continued to dig until the entire skeleton came into view. He felt a brief surge of melancholy at the bones that belonged to someone so young.

Dean climbed out of the grave and pulled out his cellphone. Nora began to salt the body.

"Dean?" Sam responded.

"We got a body. We're salting and burning it now." Dean informed him.

"Okay. See you soon." Sam muttered.

Dean ended the phone call just as flames began to engulf the bones in a fierce blaze.

Dean was glad it was over.

OoOoOo

Grace was packing up her belongings. She felt sick to her stomach. Even though Jacob's body had been found, something was not sitting well with her. It was not even just the fact that Chelsea more than likely knew about her own son's murder or that how obviously affected Lilly was by it, it was much more.

"So you guys heading out?" Nora asked casually.

Grace nodded.

"Now that we've taken care of the bones it should be clear." Sam sat at a table in the corner of the room. Dean was lying on the bed, Grace at the edge of his feet as she folded some clothes and put them in her bag.

"Grace?" Nora looked at her closest friend.

"Hmm?" Grace did not look up.

"Are you going to keep shutting everyone out or are you going to talk eventually?" Nora asked. This was perhaps the greatest issue between Nora and Grace. Grace was not the best with talking, especially if her emotions or personal life were involved. Nora on the other hand was much more assertive. She knew that Nora's questions were not malicious.

Grace set her t-shirt down with a sigh. She felt uncomfortable, "Nora, I'm not shutting you out. I'm packing. I'm tired."

"Yeah, okay." Nora said sarcastically, "So you are completely okay with Chelsea Miller living as a free woman when she knew about her sons murder?"

"I don't understand what you want from me." Grace stared at her childhood friend.

"I just want you to talk to me. This case was hard for you and I want you to be comfortable enough to talk about it with me. I mean we've all noticed." Nora threw her arms up. Grace chanced a glance at Sam, who was trying too hard to focus on his laptop. Dean kept his eyes closed, with his arms behind his head, but she could see him clench his jaw. She felt her cheeks heat with frustration.

Grace stared at Nora with disbelief and with a heavy scoff, walked out of the motel room. She ran her hands through her hair and let out a shaky breath that turned into a soft laugh. She wiped her eyes and fought the tears that were coming. She felt isolated from the group.

She heard someone clear their throat and turned to see Dean standing there. He had his hand in his pockets as he stared at her. She bit her lip and shrugged.

"I don't know what to say." She whispered.

Dean nodded.

Grace took a breath.

"It's not something I talk about. When I was a kid…I should have told someone what was happening. And Lilly, she probably saw what was happening to her brother and she never told anyone either. Why do kids do that?" Grace expressed without so much as making eye contact with Dean. She knew she was not being completely clear. But it was as much as she could muster. She did not want to say too much, nothing too personal.

Dean had met a lot of people as a hunter, people who had come from broken lives and were working to try and regain some sense of control. But, in that moment, he admired Grace more than he ever had before. He was beginning to understand why she had behaved the way she did during this hunt.

"She's just a little girl. She didn't know any better." Dean tried to explain.

Grace bit her lip.

Dean stayed quiet.

Then her mouth started moving and words started coming out that she could not believe were. "My mom…I think she was pregnant. When I look back and remember it, I remember before they started acting funny, I had heard her tell my dad she was so excited to have another baby. I don't know if that meant they were trying or what. I just think I would have liked to have been a big sister." Grace smiled sadly.

There were always hunts that got to you more than others and this one was getting to her. She always had a soft spot for children, most of her hunts involved adults or creatures, and for good reason. This was the first time she was sharing any of this and she tried her hardest to ignore how strange it was that Dean was the one she was confiding in.

"You would have been a good sister." Dean murmured.

Grace smiled sadly, "Yeah, maybe."

Dean stared at her and nodded, "Yeah. I mean look at how you look out for Nora. You've been keeping Sam and I in line too since we met. You're a natural."

"Guess we'll never know." Grace attempted to grin, but it wasn't coming. She just felt sadness enveloping her. Dean rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. He was not used to this.

He cleared his throat, "The way you were with Lilly…the way you talk to kids. That's important."

"Dean as much as I appreciate the pep talk-"

"I'm just saying that you may not have had a brother or sister, but you have family. Don't let the past destroy you, because you can't change it." Dean finished. It was something he struggled with himself. He spoke with such strength and honesty. Grace glanced away and let out a shaky laugh.

"Dean Winchester, if hunting doesn't work out motivational speaking is also another idea." Grace smiled.

"Shut up." He paused and cracked a smile, "Let's go back inside."

Grace stood up slowly and dusted off her pants. She looked up at Dean and smiled, happy that he was there for her. Her cellphone vibrated in her back pocket.

"One second," She answered her phone, not recognizing the number, "Hello?"

"Grace?" A small, fearful voice spoke her name.

"Lilly? Hey, what's wrong?" Grace felt a chill.

"Jacob's here. He hurt Mommy." Lilly's voice shook.

"Lilly, go outside and sit in the front yard. We'll be there soon. Stay out of the house." Grace spoke urgently.

Dean stiffened as he realized what was happening.

OoOoOo

Grace ran towards Lilly as soon as the Impala came to a stop. Lilly stood on the front lawn with her arms wrapped around her small body. She seemed so small in the darkness. Grace knelt before the little girl

"It's okay Lilly, you don't have to be scared anymore. What happened?" Grace murmured to the little girl. The little girl began to cry and Grace pulled her towards her chest. Sam stared at the scene with heartache. Dean was in awe of how well Grace handled the tense situation. Nora glanced at the house anxiously.

"Mommy is in the living room." Lilly whispered.

Grace looked back at Nora and motioned for her to go check. Dean stood beside Grace, as Sam and Nora rushed inside. They were armed with salt and iron bars if Jacob were to reappear. Part of Grace hoped that Chelsea was okay, because she did not want Lilly to be left without parents. But, now it was obvious they had missed something when Jacob's bones had been burned.

"Lilly, do you know what happened to Jacob?" Grace tried to speak quickly, but she needed to remain calm.

Lilly's cheeks were red and her eyes puffy as she nodded.

"I need you tell me."

"Daddy hurt him and took him away," Lilly paused, "I kept his hat."

It was with such childlike innocence that Grace almost ignored her last comment. But her mind connected the dots almost immediately. "Was Jacob's blood on the hat?" Grace asked.

Lilly nodded.

Grace's heart leapt, "Can you tell me where the hat is?"

Lilly wiped her eyes, "I miss him. I know he hurt daddy and mommy, but he's my big brother." Lilly whispered.

Grace pushed Lilly's bangs out of her face and gave a small smile, "I know you'll miss him and he'll miss you. But he's not your brother anymore," Grace paused, "I need your help, so does Jacob. This will help."

Lilly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded.

"Okay."

"I need you to tell me where you put Jacob's hat."

"Can I show you?" Lilly asked.

Grace bit her lip and glanced at Dean. His face remained impassive.

"Yeah, you can." Grace whispered.

OoOoOo

Lilly led Grace and Dean to her backyard and pointed towards the garden. It was a small garden that seemed like someone attempt at a hobby. Now it was overgrown with weeds and dying plants.

"You buried it there?" Grace asked. Lilly nodded, her tears drying up. Dean quickly began to use one of the garden shovels that were in a wicker basket beside the plants. They both knew that it would not be buried too deep. Grace started digging in hopes of finishing their task.

A shrill cry interrupted them. Grace saw Lilly's body lying on the green grass, face down.

Grace's heart raced and her stomach felt sick. Jacob stood between her and Lilly. He looked like he had in the pictures she had seen, but of course, now he was just a shell of who Jacob had been. His appearance was disheveled and he emanated fury. He was still a little boy, but now he was a ghastly pale with dark bags surrounding his lifeless eyes. Jacob turned to face Dean who was trying to finish digging where the bloodied hat had been buried. Jacob disappeared suddenly. Grace took a breath and ran over to Lilly's body.

"Keep digging Dean." Grace called as she began to inspect Lilly. She was breathing on her own, just knocked unconscious. Grace picked her up and held her in her arms, gently shaking her.

Jacob reappeared before her, closer to Dean now. His intent was clear; stop Dean from destroying the last thing that tied him to this life.

"Jacob!" Grace yelled. The angry spirit turned to face her. She knew he was too far gone to truly understand what she was saying. His anger and need for vengeance had consumed him, but at least she could provide a distraction so Dean could complete the task at hand.

Jacob stared at her, his empty eyes focused.

"I know what it's like, okay? I understand. You kept trying to be better…if you were better he wouldn't hit you right? If you behaved they would just ignore you. If you were quiet maybe you wouldn't be hurt." Grace drew words from her experience.

The spirit appeared in front of her.

Grace inhaled sharply and took a step back, but kept speaking. "You didn't do anything wrong Jacob. It was your father, not you. You feel alone and angry and you want someone to hurt as much as you do."

Jacob snarled at her and for the first time she felt genuine fear. But just in the knick of time Jacob's spirit turned to flames and ash. Dean let out a breath and shut his eyes, allowing himself to finally relax. Grace sprinted over to Lilly and shook her hoping to elicit a response. Almost instantly Lilly's eyes opened and she searched Grace's face.

"It's okay, you're safe now." Grace whispered.

Lilly wrapped her tiny arms around her.

OoOoOo

Grace leant against the hood of the Impala. Sam and Nora were already sitting in the car, ready to go. Dean was walking towards her. He was the last to leave the Miller residence. Grace was too exhausted but after making sure Lilly was safe, she felt better now. She couldn't bring herself to say anything more to Lilly's mother but she hoped Dean did. Grace pulled Dean's leather jacket around her more tightly. The temperature had dropped significantly as night fell.

She gave Dean a tight-lipped smile, as he appeared closer.

"Chelsea okay?" She asked. She already knew that she had been injured, but Sam had stitched up her arm. Her physical wounds would heal quickly, but the emotional wounds probably would not.

Dean nodded, "A little shaken up, but she'll be okay. Lilly wanted to thank you again. So did Chelsea."

Grace nodded.

Dean stared ahead, "What you said to Jacob-"

Grace shook her head, "Dean." She cut him off. She had gone into survival mode seeing Jacob and she had said the first thing that came to her mind, anything that was going to help distract him.

Dean held up his hands in defense, "I'm sorry if anything like that ever happened to you."

Grace tried to remain unemotional and detached, "It was a long time ago."

Dean nodded.

"It was…it only happened when they were possessed. At least I think. I remember when it all started, but it was only a few weeks of it." She did not understand why she was trying to downplay it. When she looked back at that time in her life, her mind automatically jumped to when John Winchester saved her. Her mind did not linger on the fear she had felt or the injuries she had faced.

Dean felt a surge of anger he couldn't explain. Maybe because he was so protective over his family that he would never physically hurt them? Or maybe because it was her? Granted her parents were possessed, but his mind was not allowing him to see that part. He was not going to try to decipher his feelings at this point.

Dean finally looked at her, "Still Grace."

"I know."

Dean and Grace held each other's gaze, no words being exchanged.

Nora poked her head out of the window, "Let's get a move on you two. I'm starving."

Grace wiped at her eyes, "Yeah, we're coming."

Dean cleared his throat and made his way to the driver's side.

OoOoOo

After a quick stop at the motel and loading up the Impala, the four of them had made their way to a diner down the street. Nora sat beside Grace with Sam and Dean across from them. Sam and Nora were chatting casually, Dean interjecting every now and again. Dean was reading through a newspaper, looking for another hunt.

Grace took a bite of her sandwich and washed it down with her Coke. She was ready to take a nice nap in the back of the Impala. "We make a good team." Nora smiled. This hunt had obviously not weighed too heavily on her.

Sam chuckled, "Well we solved the case in record time."

Grace forced a smile, "Find anything else Dean?" She was ready for a different hunt.

"Ahh, man in Colorado, local man named Daniel Elkins, was found mauled in his home." Dean spoke casually.

Grace perked up, "Elkins?" If this was who she thought it was, it wasn't good.

"Elkins? I know that name." Dean scrunched up his face and then looked at his brother.

"Doesn't ring a bell." Sam shrugged and looked at the article, "Sounds like the police don't know what to think. At first they said it was some sort of bear attack and now, they've found some signs of robbery."

Dean just nodded as he grabbed John's journal and started flipping through it, "There, check it out." He put the journal in the middle of the table and pointed at the name. Sure enough it said, 'D Elkins 970-555-0158' Daniel Elkins. Grace's stomach dropped. Daniel was dead. Nora could not get past seeing John's journal without John being there.

"You think it's the same Elkins?" Sam asked.

"It's a Colorado area code." Dean was convinced.

"We need to go." Grace announced.

Nora nodded, "Yeah, I'm headed to Vegas anyways." Grace could tell she was sad that they would be leaving and she would be on her own again.

Grace smiled, "Vegas sounds good."

Dean gave the waitress a dazzling grin, "Check please."

 **Authors note: Thanks for reading! I appreciate the reviews, follows and favorites! We definitely learned more about Grace and got to see Dean's soft side! Next chapter should be up soon :)**

 **Reviews = motivation ;)**


	6. Chapter 5

Grace looked at the snow-covered cabin that had belonged to Daniel Elkins. She wrapped her arms around herself. She hadn't been here for years. "You knew him?" Sam asked, his nose and cheeks pink from the cold.

"I met him a couple times. Hunted with him and John once a long time ago. He was a nice man, always cooked breakfast for John and I." Grace thought back fondly. Those days were so simple compared to things now.

"Well let's get inside or we'll freeze out here." Dean murmured. Dean held the flashlight while Grace picked the lock. The lock made a satisfying click and the trio moved inside. Grace frowned as she looked at the messy cabin. It had clearly been ransacked. Whoever or whatever was there, was looking for something.

"Looks like the maid didn't come today." Dean spoke as he peered down at some papers.

"Hey, there's salt over here. Right beside the door." Sam announced from the other room.

Grace was flicking through some old journals, trying to find something that could indicate what happened.

"You mean protection against demon salt or 'oops I spilled the popcorn' salt." Dean asked.

"That's not funny Dean." Grace scolded. He glanced at her and mouthed an apology.

Sam came into the room and stood beside Grace, "That looks a hell of a lot like Dad's." He said of the journal that Grace was looking at.

"Yeah, except this dates back to the 60's." Grace told him.

They walked into another room. It was Elkin's office. Grace had stood in this very room years ago. Of course it looked different then. Now there was just destruction, snow fell into the room through a hole in the roof.

"Whatever attacked him, it looks like there was more than one." Grace murmured.

"Looks like he put up a hell of a fight." Dean hoped that would make Grace feel better at least.

They all spread out and looked around the room. Dean spotted something, "There are some scratches on the floor."

"Death throes maybe?" Sam asked.

"Maybe." Grace wasn't convinced.

Dean grabbed a page from a notebook on the desk. Grace leant back and watched him work. He was so focused and meticulous. It blew her mind how he could shift his personality so quickly. He expertly shaded over the scratches to get an outline of them.

"Maybe a message." Dean's brain was working overtime.

"This familiar?" Dean knowingly held up the paper for Grace and Sam too look at.

"Three letters, six digits. The location and combination of a post office box. It's a mail drop." Sam explained.

"Just the way John does it." Grace looked at the brothers.

OoOoOo

They drove to a post office. Grace sat up front her head leaning against the window. She watched the lights of the Impala light up the road. She wanted to know what happened to Daniel and more than that she wanted to hear from John.

"You okay?" Dean kept his eyes on the road.

"Yeah, just tired. What about you?" Grace glanced at Dean. He seemed focused. She imagined it had something to do with the similarities between Elkins and John.

"I'm good."

They were speaking in extremely hushed tones. Sam took a deep breath, "We're here. I'll be right back."

They were at the post office, hoping to find a clue towards finding out what happened. Grace looked over at Dean. "I really want to hear from John." She admitted.

"Me too." Dean sighed.

"I wish I could have seen him. Last time you guys did."

"Last time we saw him wasn't pretty, but I know what you mean." Dean smiled at her. Grace let out a yawn and looked at the post office. She opened the passenger door quickly and got into the backseat.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to sleep after Sam gets back." Grace yawned once more.

Dean shot her a smile. He glanced back at her in the rearview mirror and then turned to see Sam walking back to the car. An envelope was in his hand. He got into the front seat and handed it to Dean. Grace could see the initials on it from the backseat.

Sam stared, " 'J.W.' You think? John Winchester?"

"I don't know. Should we open it?" Dean questioned.

Grace was about to answer, but there was a knock on Dean's window. Grace gasped as she saw John's face before her. John smiled at her surprised reaction. He looked a little older than the last time she had seen him, but his smile had travelled to his eyes and he looked genuinely happy to see her too.

"Dad?" Dean couldn't believe what he was seeing.

John climbed into the backseat beside Grace. She hugged him quickly, not caring that it might be too intimate. Sam could not remember the last time he really embraced his father. Dean took notice of how comfortable John seemed around Grace. He had never really seen him close with a female, and Grace had spoken so highly of him, it was almost surreal seeing them together.

Sam interrupted the moment, "Dad, what are you doing here? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. I read the news about Daniel; I got here as fast as I could. I saw you three at his place."

Sam responded softly, "Why didn't you come in Dad?"

"You know why. Because I had to make sure you weren't followed... by anyone or anything. Nice job of covering your tracks by the way."

The feeling of pride swelled in all three of their chests.

"Yeah, well, we learned from the best." Dean responded.

Grace hadn't let go of John's hand, "He's right." She was too overwhelmed and happy that John was safe and alive. The familiar smell of leather and day old cologne enveloped her.

"Wait, you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?" Sam turned to face them.

John responded, "Yeah. He was... he was a good man. He taught me a hell of a lot about hunting."

Sam shrugs, "Well you never mentioned him to us."

Dean wanted to also throw in how his father had failed to mention Grace but he stayed quiet instead. Sam would cause enough tension without Dean butting in.

John explained, "We had a... we had kind of a falling out. I hadn't seen him in years," he looks at the envelope, "I should look at that."

John looked at it and read it aloud "'If you're reading this, I'm already dead'... that son of a bitch."

Dean asked, "What is it?"

John whispered in disbelief, "He had it the whole time."

"What?" Grace asked.

John responded, "When you searched the place, did you, did you see a gun? An antique, a Colt revolver, did you see it?"

"Ah, there was an old case but it was empty." Grace had remembered seeing it now that John mentioned it.

"They have it." John sounded defeated, "We gotta pick up the trail."

Sam paused, "Wait. You want us to come with you?"

John nods, "If Elkins was telling the truth, we gotta find this gun."

"Why?" Dean asks

John responded, "Because it's important, that's why."

"Dad, we don't even know what these things are yet."

It all comes to Grace in that moment. Everything begins to make sense. She isn't sure how she is able to piece it back together, but she is.

"Vampires." Grace spoke loud enough for everyone to hear her.

Dean shook his head, "Vampires? I thought there was no such thing."

"You never mentioned them." Sam looked at John. He wasn't surprised, after all John kept lots of secrets.

John looked at Grace, and then to Sam and Dean, "I thought they were extinct. I thought Elkins and..and others had wiped them out. I was wrong. Most vampire lore is crap. A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. But the bloodlust, that part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people, so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late."

Grace clicked her tongue, "Well then it looks like we have work to do."

John nodded, "Let's get back to the motel."

OoOoOo

"I want you to look after her, no matter what." John stared at his eldest son. After they had gotten back to the motel, Grace had volunteered to pick up dinner for everyone. She kind of got the idea that Sam and Dean would like some privacy with their dad. But Sam had almost immediately fallen asleep so John took the opportunity to talk with Dean.

"She can take care of herself, I think you know that." Dean shook off how serious his father was being. Dean and Sam had spent some time with Grace at this point, and he was pretty certain he would never admit it aloud, but he did care about her.

John clenched his jaw, "I'm serious Dean."

"Why are you saying this?"

"She's important to me and I want her taken care of."

"Why's it sound like you're trying to say goodbye?" Dean asked, concerned.

"Something is coming, something bad and I'm not sure if I'll be making out in the end." John spoke quietly while Sam slept. Dean took a breath. He couldn't imagine his father not being around.

"Anything else you want to say?" Dean asked. He wasn't sure why he did; he knew John would say whatever came to his mind. But Dean wanted an apology, an apology he wasn't sure he was going to get.

Just then Grace walked in with two paper bags of fast food. John noted how she smiled at Dean and how he reciprocated. There was a warmth between them. "The restaurant was closed, so I got some burgers instead. Here you go old man." Grace winked as she handed him a bag.

"No tomatoes or onion." She grinned at John.

"Thanks darlin'."

Grace sat beside John and looked between him and Dean. "What're you guys talking about?" Grace didn't care that she was being nosy. She knew something serious was being discussed between the two of them.

John stood up, "Don't worry about it Gracie." He walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Grace sat across from Dean. "I'm going take a wild guess and say that you aren't going to tell me anything either?"

Dean couldn't help but smile, "He's just talking about the hunt."

Grace nodded, knowing that Dean was lying.

"Starting that trend again?" Grace took a sip of her soda.

"What trend?"

"Keeping secrets, not trusting me." Grace watched the emotions on Dean's face.

"I trust you. You know that." Dean didn't like the emotional route this was headed. Sam slept soundly, John was using the shower; it was quiet enough for them to have this talk.

"Okay." She smiled half-heartedly.

Dean sighed as he stood. He moved over to Grace and gently squeezed her shoulder. His skin felt so warm on hers. Her heart sped up and her skin heated. She wanted to take Dean's hand and pull him in closer to her, but she didn't.

"Don't worry Gracie." Dean whispered.

She would try not to.

OoOoOo

They had just left a crime scene. John had woken them all up that morning with information from a police scanner. Sam was slightly moody and Dean was extremely focused. Grace was going with the motions. She never thought she'd be hunting with all the Winchesters. However she preferred hunting with them separately. There was less tension that way.

Dean had asked her to ride with John because he needed to talk to Sam. He looked at her with pleading eyes and she couldn't say no. So she sat beside John as they drove down a back road.

"I just think that Sam is a little frustrated that's all." Grace knew she was safe to say this with John. One, he wouldn't repeat it and two, her and John's relationship allowed her the freedom to speak her mind.

John stared straight ahead, "He can be as frustrated as he wants, but we have a job to do."

"And the Colt. What does it do?" Grace wished she knew about it. She prided herself on her knowledge of hunting.

"Grace, can we talk about anything else?" He looked at her. He smiled at her, a dazzling smile. It was pretty clear where Dean had gotten his charm from. She scowled but didn't say anything else.

Just then John's head cocked to the left. He looked at Grace, "Call Dean. Tell him to pull off at the next exit."

Grace robotically followed her order and pulled out her phone. "Hey Dean," She began.

"Everything alright? You good?" Dean asked. His voice was tired. She assumed Sam and Dean had been arguing.

"Yeah I'm good," She ignored John's glance at her, "We need to pull off at the next exit. Johns caught their trail." Grace stared out the window.

"Alright." Dean affirmed and then the call ended.

Grace looked over at John who had a small smirk on his face. She resisted the urge to question him and stayed silent. Just then the Impala was in front of them and she saw brake lights. John cursed and slammed his breaks. Grace shot forward, the seatbelt restraining her.

The car came to a halt and Grace felt her adrenaline spike. What the hell were they doing? John looked to Grace, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Grace bit out as she got out of the car.

"What the hell was that?" John was beyond angry as he approached Sam. Grace had her arms crossed over her chest as she watched the two Winchesters square off. She was trying her hardest not to be irritated with Sam, but pulling the car in front of them and slamming on the breaks was fairly immature.

"We need to talk." Sam growled as he approached John.

Sam and John were face to face now, "About what?" John was not backing down. Grace moved to stand behind John, while Dean was behind Sam.

"About everything. Where we going Dad? What's the big deal about this gun?" Sam was asking the questions that were on everyone else's mind.

"Sammy, come on, we can Q and A after we kill all the vampires." Dean murmured to Sam, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Dean is right, we don't have time for this." Grace bit out. She stared at Sam, but he wouldn't look at her.

"Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous for us to be together. Now out of the blue you need our help. Now obviously something big is going down, and we wanna know what!" Sam was suddenly yelling. Grace couldn't believe it.

"Get back in the car." John's tone was even.

"No." Sam was defiant.

"I said get back in the damn car." John tried again. Grace couldn't believe it and neither could Dean. Defying John was unheard of.

"Yeah. And I said no." Sam stood his ground.

Dean moved closer to Sam and rested his hand on his shoulder, "Okay you made your point tough guy. Look we're all tired; we can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on." Dean grabbed Sam and pushed him gently back towards the car. But Sam was still staring at John. Grace and Dean might as well have not been there.

"This is why I left in the first place." Sam said, but not softly enough.  
"What'd you say?" John asked, finally showing some sort of emotion.

"You heard me." Sam ground out.

"Yeah. You left. Your brother and me, we needed you. You walked away, Sam." John pointed out.

Both Dean and Grace tried to calm down Sam and John. Grace put her hand on John's shoulder but that only seemed to ignite him further.  
"You walked away!" John shouted. Grace had never heard him raise his voice until now.

"Stop it, both of you." Dean tried.

Sam was far too emotional now and yelled back, "You're the one who said don't come back Dad, you closed that door not me. You were just pissed off that you couldn't control me anymore!"

Dean stepped forward and came between the two men. He separated the two of them, "Listen, stop it, stop it. Stop! It's enough." Sam and John stared at each other past Dean. Dean looked at Grace. He looked slightly embarrassed. Grace hoped he knew that she was not judging him at all.

Sam let out a breath and turned back and headed to the Impala. John moved past Grace and went back to his truck. Dean stood in the middle, Grace moved towards him. He looked defeated.

"Terrific." Dean said, but Grace wasn't sure he was looking for a response.

Dean looked over to Grace, "Welcome to the Winchesters."

She let out a shaky laugh, "It's okay. No judgment here. We should get going, talk to him, will you?" Grace tried to sound reassuring.

"It's pointless, but yeah I'll try. Try and calm him down." Dean was referring to John. She nodded and turned back to the truck. She hoped they weren't too far from the vampire's nest.

OoOoOo

They all sat in the woods watching the nest. The sun was shining brightly, the vampires walking around like normal. Grace had never actually hunted one, but she had heard the lore about them. She could not help but dislike vampires, only because she knew they had played a vital role in the loss of Nora's parents. They had drove for about two hours after the blowup between John and Sam. She had hoped Dean and Sam had talked, because she and John had remained quiet.

"Son of a bitch. So they're really not afraid of the sun?" Dean was mesmerized.

"Ahh, direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn. The only way to kill 'em is by beheading. And yeah, they sleep during the day - doesn't mean they won't wake up." John explained calmly.

"So I guess walking right in's not our best option." Grace looked at John.

"Actually, that's the plan." John responded.

"Let's get to it then." Grace smiled, but no one returned it. They silently moved back to their vehicles. Dean popped the trunk of the Impala and started gearing up with Sam. Grace stood with John as he pulled out hidden compartments from the side of his truck. She slid her hand over the top of his. He paused and looked down at her. She smiled at him; hopeful he would understand that she was trying to convey to him that everything was going to be all right. She knew he was still upset about what happened with Sam.

"Dad, I've got an extra machete if you need one." Dean called over, interrupting Grace and John. Grace glanced over and saw Dean holding up the machete. John grinned and pulled out a serrated edge machete from a leather holder. Grace couldn't fight her smile. She was with John when he had obtained the weapon.

"I think I'm ok. Thanks." John responded.

"Whoa." Dean was impressed. He and Sam walked over to John and Grace.

"So, you guys really wanna know about this Colt?" John was extending an olive branch.

"Yes sir." Sam responded.

"It's just a story, a legend really. Well I thought it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter... Back in 1835, when Halley's comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo. They say Samuel Colt made a gun. A special gun. He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. Story goes he made thirteen bullets, and this hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him. And somehow Daniel got his hands on it." John explained to them.

"I've heard about this. But, I didn't know it was actually real." Grace was in awe. Sam was listening intensely, scrambling to see if he had heard anything about this.

"Then you know they say... they say this gun can kill anything." John told them.

"Kill anything like, supernatural anything?" Dean asked for clarification.

"Like the demon." As usual Sam was one step ahead.

"Yeah, the demon. Ever since I picked up its trail I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun - we may have it." John explained.

They nod in unison. Grace knows this technically isn't her battle, but now more than ever she feels like it is. If she could help John do this, she would feel like she had finally shown him her gratitude for saving her all those years ago. She felt like she owed it to him to do this. Those were her motives.

"Alright, we get in, we get out. Let's go." John commanded.

Grace hoped it would be that easy.

OoOoOo

The nest didn't look at all like what Grace was expecting. No lights were on; the only light came from the shaded sunlight. It was surprisingly clean. Hammocks were the popular choice for bedding. Seeing them asleep made them appear far less dangerous than they actually were.

Grace followed John and looked through the stalls of the barn. She had an eerie feeling; the hair on her neck was standing up. She heard a clink and turned her head toward the noise. She had her hand clasped tightly around her own machete, but she was anxious.

John and her walked further into the nest until they saw a man and a woman asleep on a bed. She sees the colt above the bed. It looks like a normal gun, but the power it possessed made it something more. John motioned for Grace to stay back while he went to retrieve it.

Just then an earthshattering scream echoed through the nest. Grace twisted her neck towards the noise and then the male vampire threw John across the room and up against the wall. Grace leant down and grabbed a rock and threw it through the darkened window, allowing some sunlight to get in. The vampires flinched away.

"Boys, run!" John yelled. Grace hoped they were already out.

Grace sprinted to John and helped him up, and then they were running for the sunlight. Grace didn't even remember making it out, her mind was just bent on survival. They ran up a pathway into the trees. When she heard Dean's voice she relaxed slightly.

"They won't follow. They'll wait till tonight. Once a vampire has your scent, it's for life." John told them.

Grace took a deep breath and stared at Sam and Dean. "What was that?" She asked.

Sam shook his head, "We made a mistake."

"Well what the hell do we do now?" Dean asked, clearly put out.

"You gotta find the nearest funeral home, that's what." John explained.

Sam and Dean looked at each other, both confused. Grace was thankful that she grew up with Bobby. He was the king of research as far she was concerned. He knew more than the average hunter by far. When Grace and Bobby had meals together, instead of talking about their days like normal people, Bobby shared any information he discovered that day.

"Dead mans blood." Grace looked to John for affirmation.

His eyes twinkled, "Very good Grace. Dean, Grace can I count on you two to get it?"

Dean and Grace glanced at each other, "Yes sir." Dean responded. Grace was not one for 'sir'.

"Good. Sammy, you're riding with me. We'll see you guys later. Call if anything happens." John looked at both of them earnestly. They nodded in response.

Dean shot her a glance.

Then they made their way to the Impala.

OoOoOo

On the ride back, John thought it was a good time to talk about something non-hunt related. He was afraid if he mentioned anything wrong Sam would explode again. He'd wait until they arrived back at the motel to really talk to his son.

"Dean and Grace seem close." John mutters, trying to sound like he hasn't really thought about it.

Sam shrugs, "Yeah, I guess. We've liked having her around. They kept in touch after Lawrence."

John looks at his youngest son, "They did?"

"Yeah. Why are you so surprised?"

John wasn't sure really, "So are they…?"

Sam laughs at his father's questioning and the content of his questions. He has teased Dean in the past about her, but he didn't think there was actually any truth to the words. His mind flickered to when he walked in on Dean helping Grace unzip her dress. Dean had seemed flustered. And the night at the bar. Dean was overprotective. Sam looked out the window as he confronted what was right there before him. But, it couldn't be.

Sam shook his head, "No."

John nodded, not knowing if he really believed it.

OoOoOo

The drive to the funeral home was uneventful. They had parked the Impala down the street and were walking down the dark alleyway behind the funeral home. Grace was glad they were dressed in dark clothes and that the town was small and quiet. She hoped that this would go smoothly since everything else hadn't been.

"You think John and Sam are arguing?" Grace asked Dean.

Dean shrugged, "Wouldn't be surprising. You're not used to this are you?"

"What?"

"The fighting."

Grace looked at Dean, "I've never heard them yell really before today. Bobby and I were pretty relaxed, never really fought. Only when I wanted to start hunting did we ever argue." Grace looked back on those moments when she was completely rebellious. She knew she was nineteen and still young, but she was more mature now.

Dean smiled at her as she reminisced, "I know how that goes."

"Yeah, he put up with a lot." Grace chuckled softly. Dean was curious to know more about Grace. He had seen her in control, he had seen her drunk, but he hadn't seen her completely exposed. She was similar to him in the fact that she didn't wear her heart on her sleeve. But, he knew there was more to her than what met the eye.

They came upon the funeral home. It towered before them all the lights were off. Grace and Dean walked around back, looking at windows and doors. "I really don't want to break a window." Grace muttered.

Dean nodded. Too much noise, they would try and pick a lock instead. Dean made his way to the back entrance. He had scanned the building and saw no sign of a security system. It made sense, a town like this, everyone knew everyone. He picked the lock quickly and opened the back door. Grace relaxed when no alarm rang out. She walked inside to the basement.

"Let's get to it." Dean rubbed his hands together.

Grace allowed herself to smile, but rolled her eyes all the same.

OoOoOo

Dean leant over the hood of the Impala, looking at the engine. Grace stood beside him, pretending to be interested. They had gotten the dead mans blood and were proceeding with the next part of the plan. Drawing out the vampires would hopefully prove not to be difficult.

"Car trouble?" A woman appeared.

Dean glanced at Grace, and then turned to see the vampire before them standing before him.

"Let me give you a lift. I'll take you back to my place." She gave them a friendly smile. Grace could understand how someone could fall for her ploy.

With the look on his face, Grace knew he was about to say something snarky. "Nah I'll pass. I usually draw the line at necrophilia." Dean smirked.

"Oooh!" The vampire exclaimed as she backhanded him. Grace was surprised at the sudden movement and went to defend Dean, but another vamp appeared and held her in place. She grabbed Dean by the face and lifted him off the ground. Dean's fingers locked around her wrist.

"I don't usually get this friendly until the second date but..." Dean said.

"You know, we could have some fun. I always like to make new friends. And your girlfriend is pretty cute." The vampire smiled devilishly at them. Grace tried to break free, but it was no use. Dean registered that Grace could be in danger and his smile faltered. The vampire holding him lowered him to her level and kissed him. Grace clenched her jaw, while the vampire holding her only smiles. Grace did not expect to feel the onslaught of anger…and jealousy.

"Oh. Whuf. Sorry. I don't usually stay with a chick that long. Definitely not eternity." He retorted.

Then the vampire holding Grace made a gasping noise and Grace fell to her knees. He had been shot with an arrow. Moments later, the same thing happened to the vampire holding Dean.

"Dammit." She whispered.

Grace had never been so happy to see John and Sam walking out of the woods carrying crossbows.

"It barely even stings." She goaded them.

"Give it time sweetheart. That arrow's soaked in dead man's blood. It's like poison to you isn't it?" John was in no mood for games.

Grace watched her expression change from confident to worried. She wavered back and forth then fell out of consciousness.

"Load her up." John demanded, he turned to the other vampire who had been holding Grace, "I'll take care of this one."

"You okay?" Dean asked Grace as they move the vampire. She nodded in response. She would not admit the jealousy out loud. It was illogical. Grace glanced over her shoulder to see John use his machete on one of the vamps, blood sprayed.

OoOoOo

Grace stood in front of a campfire, watching the others. The female vampire was tied against the tree. Blood slowly dripped from her wound. She made soft noises that let them know she was still in pain. Sam stood beside John, machete in hand. John handed Dean a bag from the trunk of the Impala then they both moved back towards the fire. Dean tossed the bag to Grace.

"Toss this on the fire. Saffron, skunk's cabbage and trillium. It'll block our scent and hers, until we're ready." John explained.

Grace curiously sniffs the bag, then coughed. "Stuff stinks!"

John smiled at her, "That's the idea. Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you stand a chance of not being detected."

"You sure they'll come after her?" Sam questioned.

"Yeah. Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon, so you don't have a lot of time." John explained. It never escaped Grace how knowledgeable John was about everything.

"A half hour oughta do it." Sam responded.

"And then I want you all out of the area as fast as you can." John doesn't make eye contact as he says this.

"Well, Dad you can't take care of them all yourself." Dean replied evvenly.

"I'll have her. And the Colt." He motioned to the vamp.

"But after. We're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun _together._ Right?" Sam is like persistent. He already knew the answer he was going to receive. There is a silence. Grace grew frustrated as she realized what was about to happen. John wanted to hunt separately again.

"You're leaving again, aren't you. You still wanna go after the demon alone. You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like this." Sam was angry.

"Like what?" John tried to stay calm.

"Like children."

"You are my children. I'm trying to keep you safe. All of you." He looked at Grace. She doesn't hold eye contact and instead looked into the fire. She did not want to be involved in this conflict.

"Dad, all due respect but, uh, that's a bunch of crap." Dean's voice pulled her from her thoughts. She couldn't believe what she just heard. And from the looks on Sam and John's face, neither could they.

"Excuse me?" John was in a state of disbelief.

"You know Sammy and I have been hunting. Hell you sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. Even Grace has been hunting alone. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe." Dean had a valid argument.

"It's not the same thing, Dean."

"Then what is it? Why do you want us out of the big fight?" Dean's legs were shaking with adrenaline. He had never argued or undermined his father, not since he was a child. Obeying orders. That was what he did, always.

"This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch. I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive." John defended.

"You mean you can't be as reckless." Grace said loud enough so they could all hear her.

"Look... I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death ... it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too. I won't." John reasoned.

"What happens if you die? Dad, what happens if you die, and we coulda done something about it? You know I been thinking. I ...think maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this together. All of us." He even wanted Grace to stay too. He doesn't want this group to be separated again. Sam and Grace nodded in agreement.

"We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it." Dean pushed further.

"We're running out of time. You do your job and you get out of the area. That's an order." John spoke gruffly. Dean looked away angrily, but began to follow the task he was given. Grace warmed her hands for the last time and stood up. Sam shook his head, wondering if the issues within his family would ever be resolved.

They can't just leave him now. Why can't he see that?

OoOoOo

They had cleared the nest out and rescued those still alive. It had been quick and quiet. Sam, Grace, and Dean were now watching John and the other vampires. But, of course it was not going according to plan. The female vampire who had been nearly unconscious had just taken a swing at John. He landed against the side of his truck and glass shattered. The other vampire, Grace knew to be the girls mate, approached John. She heard the slap of his hand against John's face. John fell unconscious.

Grace motioned for Sam to use his bow, before this got out of control. Sam nodded and shot one of the vampires. It provided enough distraction so that they could run out to John's aid. Dean paused and shot another vampire with his crossbow. Grace moved toward the vampire that attacked John, but he was too fast. The back of his hand connected with her face. Sam was fighting with another vampire. Dean turned to help Grace, but all of the fighting faltered.

Dean wielded his machete but it was pointless. The male vampire had his arm around Grace's throat. Grace was not afraid, even though her heart was beating. She wanted to kill him. Her face throbbed. Dean looked alarmed, which made Grace uncomfortable.

"Don't! I'll break her neck. Put the blade down." He said to Dean.

Dean hesitated which caused the vamp to squeeze harder around her throat. Dean's eyes met hers. Her air supply was completely cut off. Dean clenched his jaw and dropped the blade. He motioned for Sam to stay back.

"You people. Why can't you leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do." The vampire growled.

"I don't think so." John came up behind Grace and the vampire.

He raised the colt and shot him between the eyes. The arms that were holding her so tightly, now loosened. Grace stumbled away, trying to catch her breath. Dean pulled her near him and moved her behind him. She watched fascinated as a sigil appeared on the vampires head, where the bullet had hit him. His skeleton illuminated briefly and then he fell to his knees.

"Luther!" The female vampire cried.

As if he was being electrocuted, another flash of light passed through Luther. He completely slumped to the ground. Dead. The Winchesters and Grace could not believe their eyes.

The female vampire made her way towards John, but the vampire Sam had been fighting pulled her away to their car. They sped off, ending the altercation. John smiled at the retreating car and the gun in his hands. He put it in the waist of his pants.

Sam and John moved towards Grace. John tilted her chin up and inspected her face. She winced slightly. She knew she was going to have some nice bruising and a little bit of swelling.

"You did good kid." John whispered to her.

Grace nodded.

She was ready to leave this town.

OoOoOo

Grace sat up front, beside Dean. She used his leather jacket as a blanket and her bag as a pillow. John and Sam were driving in front of them, leading them to the motel.

"I'm exhausted." Grace admitted.

"You can sleep. We all need some rest." Dean replied.

"I can't believe all the shit you said to him earlier." Grace cannot help but smile. She felt proud of him. Dean let out a low laugh, part of it sounds full of relief.

"Yeah, me either."

"It was kind of badass Dean Winchester." Grace looked at him. She knew that her feelings for him were becoming more than friendly. When had that happened? However, she is content being his friend. Something they both needed more of. She felt like she was part of something with the Winchesters. And she knew that Dean doesn't possess those types of feelings for her anyways.

"Well you know it was effortless." He grinned.

"It only took twenty-six years." Grace muttered.

Dean rolled his eyes, "You'll get there one day."

Grace sneered at him and Dean laughs. Grace looked out the window, hell bent on not looking at Dean. She feels like she's twelve years old with a stupid little crush. She knows the type of guy Dean is and he doesn't even know her, not really. He doesn't know the private things, her physical wounds or her lack of sexual experience. Those were personal boundaries she wasn't willing to give up…. at least not yet.

"You look worried." Dean chimed in, interrupting her thoughts.

"I'm alright. Just hungry." She lied.

"We'll pick you up something to eat on the way. Then you should take something for the pain." Dean promises.

Grace isn't sure she'll be able to keep it down anyway

A/N: Hey all, thanks for reading! As you can probably tell we're getting close to the end of season 1 and I was wondering if you guys preferred the story that would take place during the second season to be a different fic or if all chapters should just go into this one!

Reviews make Dean happy ;)


	7. Chapter 6

Once back at the motel, Grace stood in the bathroom and wiped the blood from her face and let out a breath. Where the vampire had struck her a bruise was already beginning to form. It had been a long, exhausting day. Hell, it was a long hunt. Grace knew she had to shower but she couldn't bring herself to move just yet. She walked back into the motel room and sat on the bed. Sam and Dean had already begun packing. No one spoke. They already knew the plan was to pack, sleep and then leave.

John entered the room quietly. He stared at the three of them, not sure what to make of the situation, "So boys, Grace."

They turned to face him.

"You ignored a direct order back there." John spoke directly.

"Yes sir." Sam and Dean said at the same time. Grace just nodded.

"But we saved your ass." Dean was not sure where this newfound confidence had come from. Sam gave him a sideways glance. Grace prayed John would remain calm. She did not have it in her to sit through another argument.

"You're right." John nodded.

"I am?" Dean asked surprised. Grace tried not to crack a smile at his response.

"It scares the hell out of me. You three are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So...we go after this damn thing. Together."

"Yes sir." They said in unison, Grace joining in.

"We'll stay here tonight and then we move out," He paused, "Gracie, go shower."

Her cheeks flushed, but she stood again and gathered her stuff for the shower. It looked like she was still one to follow orders after all.

OoOoOo

Grace looked in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was wet and sloppily brushed. There was some bruising on her neck that was turning an ugly shade of purple. She took a deep breath. The hunts were more stressful, the stakes were higher now. She hadn't talked to Bobby, things between her and Dean were changing, and now John was back hopefully permanently.

She flicked the bathroom light off and went into the motel room. The television was on, as was one of the lamps. Dean was lying on his stomach fast asleep in one bed, while Sam was curled on his side sleeping on the other. John sat in the corner of the room, sipping from a glass. Grace assumed it was whiskey.

"You're still up?" Grace asked.

John nodded solemnly, "How are you Gracie?"

She shrugged and sat across from him. She brought her knees up to her chest, "Just living the dream." She tried to make a joke, but it was a moot point. They were both far past using humor to make light of their situation.

"I want to know about Sam and Dean. What happened while I was gone?" John looked at her pleadingly.

"John, I've only hunted with them for a little while." She felt horribly guilty for not saying anything about Sam's visions. But, what could she say?

Grace placed her hand over John's, "We're gonna beat this thing. We have the colt and together, we're a hell of a lot stronger." Grace was more sure of that than anything else. They had all survived a lot.

John smiled, "You grew up good Grace."

"Well you and Bobby weren't shabby mentors." Grace smiled back.

"My boys…they like having you around." John noted.

Grace glanced at their sleeping forms. Her eyes lingered on Dean. "I like being around. I wish I would have met them sooner."

"Me too."

"Why didn't you ever tell them about me." Grace finally asked the million-dollar question.

John took a swig of his drink and set the glass down with a heavy sigh. "Sammy was nine, Dean was thirteen. They were just learning about the truth of what's out there. And I was already leaving a lot. I didn't think they would understand me leaving to come hunt with you, to see you. Now, I think I was wrong to do that." John admitted.

"After we kill this thing, then what?" Grace asked.

"We keep hunting." John responded

Grace could not fight her smile, "I was hoping you'd say that."

Grace nodded, then yawned. "You should get some sleep." John suggested.

She looked at the beds and frowned. She really didn't want to sleep on the floor again, her back and neck hurt. She was already stiff and in pain from the altercations with the vampire.

"I'll share with Sam." John noticed her struggle.

"No, uh, I don't…I can take the floor." Grace was embarrassed.

"You've had a rough night. Take the bed," John watched as Grace glanced at Dean's sleeping form, "Don't worry Grace, your secret is safe with me." John smiled.

"There's no secret. I don't know what you're talking about." Grace flushed. How embarrassing was this? Was she being that obvious?

He just nodded at her, "I'm going to shower, then going to bed." Grace watched as John stood, kissed her forehead, and then walked into the bathroom.

Grace sighed and moved over to Dean. She hesitated, but gently shook his leg. He barely moved, so she shook a little more. He jerked awake, his arm moving defensively in front of him. Grace put her hands up.

"It's just me. I don't want to sleep on the floor, can we share?" She spoke softly.

Dean relaxed, the sleepy look still on his face. He nodded and scooted over. He lifted the covers and Grace slowly climbed in. Her body was buzzing as she snuggled into the covers.

Grace closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.

OoOoOo

When she woke the next morning everyone was still asleep, in fact it was still dark out. She stayed completely still as she felt Dean's arm draped over her waist. They had both moved in their sleep. She shifted closer to him. Grace wondered if he was awake like she was.

She got her answer when she felt him tense behind her. She kept her eyes closed and reminded herself to keep her breathing even. Dean slowly moved his arm away. Grace felt a stab of rejection. But, she smiled softly as she felt his hand soothingly trace her arm. He leant in and kissed the back of her head and then he got out of bed. He was silent.

Grace kept her eyes shut until she heard the bathroom door close. A kiss? It was such a tender thing to do and so unlike Dean. But, she wasn't complaining. She was however stocking it up on the confusion that she felt.

Grace slowly got out of bed. Her head throbbed. She really didn't get hurt this much, but with the Winchesters it seemed like she was the easiest target. John was nowhere to be seen. How had she not woken up to him leaving? Had he even stayed? Sam opened his eyes and yawned. He looked at Grace, a small smile on his face.

"Nice bruises you got there." He said sleepily

"I bet. I feel like hell." Grace muttered.

Sam glanced to the bathroom and then to the bed. "Did you share with Dean?" His voice held no emotional component so she could not tell if he was surprised or just curious. Grace usually slept on the floor, or one of the brothers did. Last night she just knew she couldn't, she would have been too uncomfortable. And John, he was suspecting things already.

"Why do you ask questions when you already know the answer to?" Grace looked at him.

"Dean doesn't just sleep next to girls." Sam informed her.

"I'm aware." Grace's phone began to ring and she was relieved.

"Hey, where are you?" Grace asked seeing John's name on the caller ID.

"At the motel on 5th and 6th. I'm in room 32. I need you guys to come over here, there are some things I need to show you." John was being completely vague.

"We're all waking up, we'll be there soon." Grace said and then hung up the phone.

"John has something for us to see. We need to go." Grace informed him.

Dean walked out of the bathroom. Sam stood up and stretched, "Alright, we're heading out in ten. Dad has something he wants to show us." Sam walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

Grace set her phone on the nightstand and then stood. She grabbed a grey t-shirt and a flannel to wear over it. She turned her back to Dean and took her shirt off. She could feel his eyes on her, but she continued to dress. She did not even care that her scars were on display. It was just Dean in her mind.

She started to slip her pants off when she finally heard Dean changing as well. She pulled on a clean pair of jeans and laced up her boots. When she turned around Dean was shirtless. He paused when he saw her look at him.

She cleared her throat. Dean pulled a shirt on and walked over to Grace. "That vamp got a good hit in." Dean said as he inspected the injury. His fingers gentle as he lifted her jaw. His green eyes studied her marred skin carefully.

Grace rolled her eyes, "I'm sure it's not that bad."

"You haven't looked yet?" Dean asked.

Grace shook her head, "Now I'm afraid to."

There's a silence amongst the two of them. Grace looked at Dean, his jaw was clenched now and his eyes were intense as they focused on her. She wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind. Sam opened the door and came out into the room. Grace suddenly felt suffocated by the Winchesters at that moment.

"I'm going to brush my teeth, then we need to leave." Grace spoke hurriedly and went into the bathroom, sidestepping Sam.

Sam studied his brother and wondered what was really happening between the two of them.

OoOoOo

John's motel room was a mess. Grace stood with her arms crossed against a counter and surveyed the room. Sam rested beside her doing the same thing. It was difficult not to stare at Dean, who was anxiously pacing the room. The walls were covered with weather charts, newspaper articles, sloppily written notes, and even hieroglyphics. John was being as thorough as possible and it showed. He sat at a desk that was covered with even more papers. The colt sat in front of him, ready to be used.

"So this is it. This is everything I know. Look, our whole lives we been searching for this demon right? Not a trace, just...nothing. Until about a year ago. For the first time I picked up a trail." John broke the silence.

Dean nodded in understanding and spoke with slight bitterness, "And that's when you took off."

"Yeah. That's right. The demon must have come out of hiding, or hibernation." John didn't acknowledge Dean's tone.

"All right so what's this trail you found?" Dean asked.

"It starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California. Houses burned down to the ground. It's going after families, just like it went after us." John explained.

"Families with infants?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. The night of the kid's six-month birthday." John replied.

"I was six months old that night?" Sam hadn't known that previously. Grace glanced at the younger Winchester. She felt like she was invading a personal moment and hoped that that feeling would soon disappear.

"Exactly six months." John nodded.

"So basically, this demon is going after these kids for some reason. The same way it came for me? So Mom's death...Jessica. It's all because of me?" Sam's voice was beginning to rise.

"We don't know that Sam." Dean cut in.

"Oh really? Cause I'd say we're pretty damn sure Dean." Sam countered. Grace had never seen Sam so upset.

"For the last time, what happened to them was not your fault." Grace could see the frustration clear as day on Dean's face. She wondered how many times that Sam and he had had this conversation.

Sam began to shout, "Right. It's not my fault but it's my problem." Grace put her hand on Sam's arm, hoping to calm him down. She could feel how heavily he was breathing.

"No it's not your problem it's our problem!" Dean shouted back. Grace ignored that his eyes lingered on her hand on Sam.

"Okay. That's enough." John stood up.

Everyone looked at the eldest Winchester. Grace squeezed Sam's arm so he would look at her. Even though Sam and Grace weren't as close as Grace felt she was to Dean, she still cared about him. Sam looked at her and Grace gave him a small smile.

"It's okay." She mouthed to him.

Sam gave her a short nod and then looked at the others, "So why's he doing it. What does he want?"

"Look I wish I had more answers, I do. I've always been one step behind it. Look, I've never gotten there in time to save..." John looked down and away from them. This was personal for all of them in some manor, but John carried the burden on his shoulders.

"All right so how do we find it?." Grace asked.

"There's signs. It took me a while to see the pattern but it's there in the days before these fires signs crop up in an area. Cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms. And then I went back and checked...and..." John spoke quickly as he handed Grace a stack of papers.

Grace looked through them quickly. As she skimmed she announced, "These things happened in Lawrence."

"A week before your mother died. And in Palo Alto...before Jessica. And these signs, they're starting again." John looked at Sam.

"Where." Sam bit out. It wasn't a question.

"Salvation Iowa." John told them.  
Well it looked like they knew their next destination.

OoOoOo

"Bobby, I'm sorry. I know you worry." Grace said for the tenth time. She and Dean had only been in the car for about thirty minutes before she received a phone call from Bobby. She kept meaning to call him, but then she never followed through. There was too much happening.

"If you know I worry, why can't you pick up the damn phone?" His voice was tinged with irritability. Grace let out a sigh. What was with the men around her today? Everyone seemed on edge and yet she was perfectly calm and focused.

"It's been really crazy over here."

"Where exactly is here?" She imagined that Bobby had taken off his hat and was wiping the sweat from his forehead, completely exasperated.

"Headed to Salvation, Iowa." Grace told him.

"Got a hunt?"

"Something like that," Grace looked out the window, "How's Rumsfeld?" She loved that dog. He was her first friend when she had come to Bobby's and no matter what he was always there.

Bobby chuckled, "He's a dog, he's fine. I want to make sure you're being careful."

"I always am. John's here now too. We're all looking out for each other." Grace could feel Dean look at her from her peripheral vision.

"John's there?"

"Yes. Why?"

"If John's there I know what you're hunting and it clouds his judgment. Look out for yourself."

Grace let out another breath, "I will. But I got to go, talk to you soon."

Grace snapped her phone shut and threw it on the backseat next to her duffel bag. It seemed like she was always getting paired with Dean lately and she wondered if it was purposeful.

"How's Bobby?"

"The usual." Grace muttered.

"He's just looking out for you." Dean told her.

"I don't want to be a walking cliché, I know I'm nineteen but I'm not a child. I've spent more time on my own than most and I can take care of myself. If I have to make a tough call I can." Grace felt frustration bubbling to the surface.

Dean nodded, "I know you can."

"You're all just over protective." Grace looked at Dean.

Dean seemed taken aback. He had of course thought about how young Grace really was. At nineteen he was impossible and definitely was not hunting alone. But, he knew Grace was important to him, he just didn't really understand why. It was more than the fact that John Winchester held Grace in such high esteem.

"For good reason."

"Hmm." Grace looked at him.

"I'm serious." Dean's face was in a focused frown.

Grace laughed, "I'm only kidding! Relax you grump."

"I'm just saying, you being here settles a lot of the tension and we all look out for each other, like you said." Dean glanced at her.

Pride swelled in her chest at the compliment. It relieved her thoughts about her being a nuisance on the Winchesters quest to find and kill the yellow-eyed demon.

"Between John and Sam?" Grace asked.

"Mostly. They weren't always this bad." Dean told her.

"I believe you. He talked about you guys a lot, you know." Grace smiled fondly at the times that John shared stories about his boys. He was like the proud dad after the kids won a soccer game or aced a test.

"Good things I hope." Dean smiled.

"Yeah. He'd get that twinkle in his eye." Grace watched Dean's shake his head incredulously. He rolled his beautiful green eyes at her and she laughed.

"I'm telling you, he did!"

"I think you got a different version of John Winchester than me and Sam did." Dean said and he meant it. John was softer with Grace, but it didn't surprise him. He just wished there had been more times that his dad would have been softer on him.

Grace thought about his words. John, from the moment she had met him, had been tender and sweet to her. Of course she had been a scared bloodied child, but even after. Their first hunt together, a shapeshifter when she was fifteen, he hadn't even been particularly harsh when she made mistakes. Even when he was worried he had stayed calm.

"I think so too." Grace whispered.

Just then, ahead of them John's truck began to pull off to the side of the road. Grace sighed, "This is becoming a habit."

"You're telling me." Dean muttered as he pulled off. They got out of the car in time to hear John cursing.

"What is it?" Dean called as they walked towards him.

"Son of a bitch." John yelled.

"What is it!" Dean said louder, anxiousness spreading through him.

"I just got a call from Caleb." John said more calmly.

Grace knew Caleb. He was another hunter.

"Is he okay?" Dean asked.

"He's fine. Jim Murphy's dead." John bit out.  
"Pastor Jim? How?" Sam asked quickly.

"His throat was slashed. He bled out. Caleb said they found traces of sulfur at Jim's place." John spoke gravely. They all knew what this meant.

"A demon." Grace looked at him.

He nodded in response.

"The demon?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. Could be he just got careless, he slipped up. Maybe the demon knows we're getting close." John thought aloud.

"What do we do?" Dean immediately sought his father's guidance.

"Now we act like every second counts. There's two hospitals and a health center in this county. We split up, cover more ground. I want records. I want a list of every infant that's going to be six months old in the next week." John commanded.

Sam verbalized Grace's thoughts, "Dad that could be dozens of kids. How do we know which one's the right one?"

"We check em all that's how. You got any better ideas?" John was not in the mood for any insubordination, and thankfully for the whole group Sam just backed down.

"No sir."

They all moved to go back to their cars and get on with their next step. John leant against his truck, a heavy sigh. Grace was about to move toward him, but Dean did instead.

"Dad?"

John was visibly upset, "Yeah. It's Jim. You know, I can't," his face hardened, "This ends, now. I'm ending it. I don't care what it takes."

OoOoOo

Grace and John sat in another dingy hotel room. This one was decorated in a mustard yellow and lime green theme. But, on the plus side, the beds were soft. John was sitting on the edge of the bed reading through the newspaper in the area looking for whatever he could find. Grace was in full on research mode. They were waiting for Dean and Sam to return from the hospital.

John sighed and pushed the paper away.

"Nothing?" Grace looked up at him.

"Not a damn thing." John whispered. He looked exhausted and sad. His friends were dying. A lot of John's life had involved death and Grace imagined it hadn't gotten any easier. He had only gotten better at hiding how much it affected him.

"I'm sorry about Jim. He was a good man." Grace closed her laptop so she could focus on him.

"He was. They've all been good people, it doesn't seem to matter."

"We can do this."

John nodded, "I know."

Sam and Dean walked in abruptly, slamming the door shut. John looked up, mildly alarmed. Sam grabbed a chair immediately at the table and began to rub his temples. Grace shot up and grabbed a glass from the bathroom and filled it with water. As she handed the glass to Sam, Dean sat on the edge of the other bed.

"What's going on?" John asked immediately.

"He had a vision about a woman he met and the demon." Dean whispered. Grace raised her eyebrows. That was quite the way to break the news. John stared at his children and then Grace. He looked as if he had misheard.

"A vision?" He asked to make sure he had heard right.

Sam took a sip of the water and nodded in thanks to Grace. She sat beside him. She hadn't seen him having a vision or the aftermath of one. "Yes. I saw the demon burning a woman on the ceiling." Sam's voice was laced with pain.

"And you think this is going to happen to this woman you met because..." John was still trying to grasp the situation.

"Because these things happen exactly the way I see them." Sam told his father.

"It started out as nightmares. Then it started happening while he was awake." Dean told his father. He stood up and grabbed the water glass and went to refill it. Grace rubbed Sam's back in hopes of comforting him.

Sam winced, "Yeah. It's like the closer I get to anything to do with the demon the stronger the visions get."

"All right. When were you going to tell me about this? Grace did you know?" John stared at her.

"Yes." She told him truthfully.

"And what, you think my son having visions about the thing I've been hunting since Mary died was not a cause for concern?" He raised his voice. Grace felt her cheeks warm.

Dean set the glass down in front of Sam and faced his father. "Don't blame her. We didn't know what it meant." Dean told his father. Grace was thankful for his defense, but she still felt guilty.

"All right, something like this starts happening to your brother, you pick up the phone and you call me." John spoke sternly.

Grace saw Dean's jaw clench and she knew what was coming. "Call you? Are you kidding me? Dad I called you from Lawrence all right? Sam called you when I was dying. I mean, getting you on the phone? I got a better chance of winning the lottery." Dean was breathing heavily.

There was a brief silence, and then John said, "You're right. Although I'm not too crazy about this new tone of yours, you're right. I'm sorry. Gracie, sorry I lost my temper."

Grace shook her head, "It's okay."

"Look guys, visions or no visions, fact is, we know the demon is coming tonight. And this family's gonna go through the same hell we went through." Sam's voice sounded less weak.

"No they're not. No one is, ever again." John vowed.

Sam's phone ran interrupting their conversation. Sam answered quickly.  
"Hello," a pause, "Who is this?"  
"Meg." Sam's mouth set in a grim line.

John stood up and Dean turned to Sam. Grace looked at Dean, "Whose Meg?"

Dean's face was in disbelief, "She's supposed to be dead. She tried to kill Sam and I. It's a long story."

Grace couldn't explain why she was frustrated that she didn't already know about it.

"Last time I saw you, you fell out of a window," Sam bit out and continued, "Just your feelings? That was a seven-story drop."

Sam looked at John, "Dad? I don't know where my Dad is."

Sam hesitated then and turned the phone on speaker. He motioned for everyone else to be quiet so Meg wouldn't know that they were all listening.

"This is John." John introduced himself.

"Howdy John. I'm Meg. I'm a friend of your boys. I'm also the one who watched Jim Murphy choke on his own blood...still there John-boy?" Her voice was oddly sweet, but the words she spoke were anything but. Grace imagined she was young and tough, but she had nothing to go off of. But if she was supposed to be dead and she had murdered Jim, Grace knew she was something else entirely.

John grimaced, but said, "I'm here."

Meg was in complete control and she knew it. "Well that was yesterday. Today I'm in Lincoln. Visiting another old friend of yours. He wants to say hi..."

They heard a man in a rushed voice say, "John, whatever you do don't give-"  
"Caleb?" John asked. Everyone in the room straightened, alert.

"You listen to me. He's got nothing to do with anything. You let him go." John demanded. He couldn't handle losing another friend.

"We know you have the colt John." Meg was back.

"I don't know what you're talking about." John played dumb.

"Oh, okay. Well listen to this." Meg spoke with an edge in her voice. They heard gasping and gurgling, a sound all too familiar to them all. She had slit his throat, and now they were all listening to him die. Grace covered her mouth in shock. Just like that, and now another friend, another hunter was gone.

"Caleb. Caleb!" John yelled.

"You hear that? That's the sound of your friend dying. Now let's try this again. We know you have the gun John, word travels fast. So as far as we're concerned you just declared war. And this is what war looks like. It has casualties." Meg was not one to be messed with.

"I'm gonna kill you, you know that?" John told her.

"Oh John please, mind your blood pressure. So this is the thing. We're going to keep doing what we're doing. And your friends, anyone who has ever helped you, gave you shelter, anyone you ever loved. They'll all die unless you give us that gun."

There was a deafening silence amongst them.

"I'm waiting Johnny, better answer before the buzzer."  
"Okay." John finally spoke.

"Sorry? I didn't quiet get that." Meg responded.

"I said okay, I'll bring you the colt." John's voice was broken.

"There's a warehouse in Lincoln, on the corner of Wabash and Lake. You're gonna meet me there."

"It's gonna take me about a days drive to get there." John told her.

"Meet me there at midnight tonight."

"That's impossible. I can't get there in time and I can't just carry a gun on a plane." John for the first time sounded panicked.

"Oh. Well I guess your friends die don't they. If you do decide to make it, come alone." Meg hung up the phone, leaving no more room for discussion. John snapped the phone shut and handed it to Sam.

"She's a demon," John paused, "Either that, or she's possessed by one. It doesn't really matter."

"What do we do?" Dean asked.

"I'm going to Lincoln." John looked at them.

"What?" Grace asked. It seemed like a death sentence if he went.  
"It doesn't look lilke we have a choice. If I don't go, a lot of people die, our friends die." John shrugged. It was a simple choice for him.

"Dad, the demon is coming tonight. For Monica and her family. That gun is all we got, you can't just hand it over." Sam argued. Grace assumed Monica was the woman he had had visions of. She ran her hands through her hair and waited for John to reply. She felt like she had aged so much since John had joined them. She was exhausted, but was trying not to let it show.

"Who said anything about handing it over. Look, besides us and a couple of vampires no ones really seen the gun, no one knows what it looks like." John reasoned.

"So what, you're just going to pick up a ringer at a pawn shop?" Dean was not liking this idea at all.

"Antique store." John corrected.

Grace scoffed, "You're going to hand Meg a fake gun and hope she doesn't notice?"

"Look, as long as it's close, she shouldn't be able to tell the difference." John was forming the plan in his head.

"Yeah but for how long? What happens when she figures it out?" Dean pressed.

"I just...I just need to buy a few hours, that's all." John told them.

"You mean for Dean and me. You want us to stay here, and kill this demon by ourselves?" Sam questioned.

John shook his head, "No Sam. I want to stop losing people we love. I want you to go to school; I want Dean to have a home. I want Grace to be able to have a family of her own...I want Mary alive. It's just...I just want this to be over." John's words struck her like a shot in the heart. She couldn't imagine getting married and having kids. What bothered her more was when John had said that she immediately thought of Dean.

"We'll stay." Grace broke the silence.

John attempted to smile but it was only that. "Dean can you get the gun?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Meet me near the water tower off 78, we passed it when we drove in. I should be there in an hour."

Dean grabbed his jacket and looked to Grace, "Are you coming?"

"Uh, yeah." Grace hurriedly grabbed her jacket off the bed next to John. She quickly gave him a peck on his stubbly cheek and followed Dean out the door. She tried not to focus on the fact that Dean had asked her to come. But, it was probably better than staying in the hotel room. Sam and John clearly had a lot to talk about it regards to his visions.

Grace climbed into the front seat and Dean began to drive. She was so used to being alone with him. They got paired off so often lately. She wished she could touch him, be comforting in some way. After waking up with his arms around her, she missed that warmth. But, she knew it meant nothing.

"Thanks for not telling Dad about Sam's visions." Dean said. She wasn't sure how Dean knew where to go but he was driving with a purpose.

"It wasn't my place to. But you're welcome." Grace didn't regret staying quiet.

There was a silence in the air until Grace asked, "So who is Meg?"

"She's a demon. When Sam and I split up awhile back he met her, I guess. When we were on a hunt in Chicago she was there. She summoned a daeva to try and kill us and then it turned on her. She fell out of a window. I should have mentioned her, but I thought she was done for."

Grace paused, absorbing the information. "Dean you're not obligated to tell me about all of your hunts." Grace said it but it didn't feel authentic. She was just saying what she thought she should.

Dean shrugged and cleared his throat.

"About what my dad said, about Sam going back to school and everything," Dean began.

Grace looked at him, "Yeah?"

"Do you want that life? The white picket fence and all that?" Dean asked. It seemed oddly personal. But then again this whole hunt was. And the fact that it could be coming to an end tonight was beginning to weigh heavily on their minds.

"I don't think anyone who wasn't a hunter would be able to really get me, you know? They wouldn't understand what I've seen or done. Then if it wasn't that I'd be so worried something was coming to hurt me or my family." Grace felt a piece of the wall she had built around herself chipping off.

Dean nodded and waited for her to continue.

"Sometimes I think there's just too much that has happened and I wouldn't want to burden someone else with that." Grace told him. This was just tip of the iceberg for her. She was alone and she preferred it. She had convinced herself that it was normal to be alone.

Dean was equally surprised that Grace was telling him any of this. What caught him even more off guard was that he was actually listening and cared. Usually he was listening to women for one sole purpose and yet this time it was different.

Grace shook her head, and turned to look at Dean. "And you would fix cars." Grace smiled, remembering it was something Dean had told her.

He chuckled, "Yeah," he paused, "This could all end tonight."

"It's a big deal for you all."

"But if it does, we should keep hunting."

"All of us?'

"Yes."

Grace didn't let the invitation go to her head. She felt her stomach tighten with nerves but she didn't say anything. Dean once more took her aback but she went along with it.

"Are you ready for this? Facing the demon?" Grace asked as Dean took the key out of the ignition.

Dean started to get out of the car. "It doesn't matter whether or not I am. It's coming anyway."

Grace nodded as they went inside the antique store. She wondered what life would be like after the demon was killed. Would they really all keep hunting, or would things be different? Would John find peace? Would Sam really want to go back to school? And Dean, would he really just become a mechanic? It would surprise her, because Grace wasn't sure she knew how to walk away from this life. At least not yet. By walking away from hunting she would have to confront a whole list of issues that she was not ready for.

Grace decided just to ignore her nagging thoughts.

OoOoOo

They had successfully gotten a gun that resembled the Colt, but now that Grace had seen the actual Colt she wasn't completely convinced. They had driven in silence. It hadn't been uncomfortable for both of them since both were thinking of what was to come. It was going to be dangerous, but somehow it felt like the stakes were only higher. They all needed to be focused.

The sun shone down brightly on them as they pulled up next to John's truck. John and Sam were inspecting John's weapons. Grace was at least relieved that they seemed to be getting along now.

Dean got out of the car without a word. Grace sighed and did the same. John immediately asked, "You get it?"

Dean pulled the brown paper bag out of his back pocket and handed it to Grace thought the paper bag was a bit ridiculous but she kept that to herself. She was too on edge. John took the bag and took out the revolver. He looked at carefully.

"You know this is a trap don't you. That's why Meg wants you to come alone?" Dean finally said something.

"I can handle her. I got a whole arsenal loaded. Holy water, Mandaic, amulets..." John was confident.

"Dad..." Dean began.

"What?" John looked at his eldest son.

"Promise me something."

"What's that?"

"This thing goes south just...get the hell out. Don't get yourself killed all right, you're no good to us dead." Dean spoke steadily, but his words made Grace's insides clench. She was not ready for anything to happen to John.

"Same goes for you," John paused, "All right listen to me. They made the bullets special for this colt. There are only four of them left. Without them this gun is useless. You make every shot count." John insisted.

"Yes sir." Sam nodded.

"Been waiting a long time for this fight. Now it's here I'm not gonna be in it. It's up to you all now. It's your fight, you finish this. You finish what I started. Understand? " John handed the colt to Dean, who took it readily.

Sam said, "We'll see you soon Dad."

John responded, "I'll see you later." He began to walk to his truck. Grace hated goodbyes, and this one was beginning to feel too permanent. She bit her lip and glanced at the brothers. She let out a breath and ran behind John.

"John," Grace called out to him. He stopped and turned back to look at her. He allowed himself a small smile for that Grace was pleased. She looked at him and gave him a quick hug.

"Don't do anything stupid." She whispered into the crook of his neck.

John chuckled deeply, "Watch out for my boys."

"You know I will. They'd be a mess otherwise." Grace teased. She felt the situation become less heavy as they both smiled at each other.

"You better believe it." John murmured as he kissed her forehead. He looked down at Grace and gave her one last reassuring smile and then he got into his truck and sped away. Grace turned and looked at the brothers. They were staring at her, but remained silent.

She walked towards Sam and Dean, "Let's go."

She didn't make eye contact with them.

OoOoOo

 **A/N: Hey all, thanks for reading! My updates my take a little longer from now on because classes are picking back up, but the story will go on!**

 **Reviews are welcome :)**


	8. Chapter 7

They sat outside the home that the demon was going to invade. The colt sat between Sam and Dean. There were only four bullets left and they had to take advantage of that. Inside, Monica and her family were just finishing up dinner. No one had said anything else about John or their goodbyes earlier.

Sam looked out the window, "Maybe we could tell them it was a gas leak. Might get them out of the house for a few hours."

"Yeah and how many times has that actually worked for us?" Dean said sarcastically.

Sam paused, "Yeah." He thought a little bit more, "We could always tell them the truth."

Grace looked at Sam and raised her eyebrow. She laughed softly in response. Dean shook his head, "No."

"I know I know. I just...with what's coming for these folks..." Sam defended.

"Sam we only got one move and you know it, all right? We gotta wait for that demon to show itself and then we get it before it gets them." Dean sounded like John.

They all stared at the house on high alert. The minutes passed on, but nothing out of ordinary happened. Grace hated this part, the waiting.

Finally Sam said, "I wonder how Dad's doing."

"I'd feel a lot better if we were there backing him up." Dean responded

"I'd feel a lot better if he were here backing us up." Sam responded.

Silence continued once more and they keep watching the house.  
OoOoOo

Almost two hours had passed and nothing. Grace was becoming more and more on edge. Why was nothing happening? She looked at Dean through the rearview mirror. He glanced back at her; his mouth was set in a grim line. She looked away back at Monica's house.

"This is weird." Sam murmured.

"What?" Dean asked.

"After all of these years we're finally here. It doesn't seem real." Sam voiced his opinion. Grace knew that Dean felt similarly but he wouldn't say it.

"We just gotta keep our heads and do our job, like always." Dean looked at Sam.

"Yeah but this isn't like always." Sam pointed out.

Dean sighed, "True."

There was a pause. Sam cleared his throat and looked back at "Dean...ah...I wanna thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything. You've always had my back you know? Even when I couldn't count on anyone I could always count on you. And ah...I don't know I just wanted to let you know, Just in case. And Grace," Sam paused, "thank you for everything."

"Whoa whoa whoa, are you kidding me?" Dean cut in before Grace could even say anything. She was surprised that Sam was saying anything in the first place, but Dean's reaction startled her.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Don't say just in case something happens to you. I don't wanna hear that freaking speech man. Nobody's dying tonight. Not us, not that family, nobody. Except that demon. That evil son of a bitch ain't getting any older than tonight, you understand me?" Dean spoke angrily.

Grace nodded.

OoOoOo

More time passed. Grace was getting anxious. She opened her phone and called John. His phone rang, but no answer. "John's not answering." Grace announced.

"Maybe Meg was late. Maybe cell reception's bad." Sam attempted.  
Grace didn't like that response at all because she knew it was more than that. It had to be. She had that sickening feeling in her gut. Just then the radio started to static.

"Wait. Listen." Grace sat up closer between the brothers. She rolled the radio dial. Suddenly they could hear the wind blowing loudly outside and then the outside lights of the house began to flicker.

"It's coming." Grace whispered.

Then it all happened so fast. They were all out of the car, sprinting. Dean pulled a credit card out of his jacket pocket and carefully slid it down the lock on the front door. Grace's heart was pounding and her breathing was heavy, but she tried to remain as silent as possible. They slowly walked in. Everything appeared to be normal. No lights were on in the house. No strange noises.

They walked into what appeared to be the living room when, who Grace assumed, was Monica's husband ran at Dean with a baseball bat. He swung and missed. Instead he shattered a lamp.

"Get out of my house!" He yelled at them.

Dean quickly charged the man and began to fight him for control of the bat. Grace stood back. This was not what they had come there for. They were wasting time doing this.

"Get out of my house!" He repeated.

Sam held his hands in a defensive position, "Please, please. Mr Holden please."

Grace could see Dean was growing frustrated. He grabbed the bat and pushed Mr. Holden against the wall. He placed the bat over his throat applying minimal pressure.

He sharply commanded, "Be quiet and listen to me. Be quiet and listen. We are trying to help you."

Just then they heard a yell from upstairs. It was Monica.  
"Charlie? Is everything okay?"

Without hesitation, Mr. Holden responded, "Monica get the baby!"

Grace saw the panic in Sam's face. He called out, "Don't go in the nursery!"

Mr. Holden shouted, "You stay away from her." He tried to move towards Sam.

Dean swiftly backhanded him. Mr. Holden slumped over. Dean shook his head as Grace jumped into action.

"Follow Sam. I'll take him outside." She stared at Dean.

She could tell he didn't exactly agree with the plan, but she wasn't going to give him any time to argue. Enough adrenaline was coursing through her that she was able to carry him out on her own. She wrapped her arms around him and awkwardly maneuvered him out of the house. The last thing she saw was Dean running up the stairs behind Sam.

Grace dragged Mr. Holden onto the front lawn. She knew that he would be waking up soon; she just hoped he would be calm while he did it. Grace wanted to leave him there and run inside to help, but she stayed. There were already enough people upstairs and her being there would only add to the confusion.

It seemed like forever until she saw Sam and Monica running out of the house. Flames erupted from the upstairs bedroom window. Grace ran past them towards the front steps of the house. Her heart was in her throat. Where was Dean?

"You get away from my family." Mr. Holden had shakily risen to his feet.

Monica ran towards him, "No Charlie don't. They saved us."

Grace couldn't look back at them. She feared the worse. But, just in time Dean ran out with Monica's baby in his arms. Dean was panting and sweat sheathed his flushed face.

Monica began to cry, "I mean they saved us." She walked over to Dean and gingerly took her child from him. Mr. Holden moved towards his family and put his arms around his family.

"Thank you." Monica looked at the three of them.

Flames began to engulf the entire house. Grace gasped when she saw the silhouette of the demon in the window of the nursery. The black figure was framed with the vibrant flames. Dean and Sam noticed just as Grace had.

"It's still in there!" Sam was determined.

Sam began to move back into the house, ignoring the flames. Dean grabbed his arm, "Sam. Sam, no."

"Dean let me go, it's still in there." Sam tried to get away from his brother.

"It's burning to the ground, its suicide." Grace yelled at Sam.

"I don't care." Sam was beyond angry.

"Well I do!" Dean shouted.

"It's gone." Grace said as she placed her hands on Sam's shoulders. He looked up at the window. It registered that the demon had disappeared. He shook out of Grace's grasp and walked towards to the Impala. Dean watched him walk away silently.

Grace took out her phone and called the fire department. "Dean, we should go." She could feel the mixed emotions from him. On one hand, the family had been saved. On the other, the demon had escaped. How funny, they had thought tonight was going to be the night that ended it all.

"Yeah, let's go." Dean muttered as his gaze lingered on the house.

OoOoOo

Back at the motel, Grace and Sam sat on the beds. No one had said anything else. Grace's body still hadn't calmed down. She still felt alert. Now she was focused on John.

Dean paced the room frustrated. He had been trying to get a hold of John. "Come on Dad, answer your phone damn it."

He hung up the phone. "Something's wrong."

Grace looked over at Sam, waiting for a response. He stared off at the wall, not acknowledging Dean or the current issue at hand.

"You hear me? Somethings wrong." Dean stepped towards him.

"If you had just let me go in there, I could have ended all this." Sam said so softly, but with so much anger.

"Sam, the only thing you would have ended was your life." Dean was not letting his sympathies show.

"You don't know that." Sam countered.

"So what, you're just willing to sacrifice yourself, is that it?" Dean asked.

Sam stood up, "Yeah you're damn right I am."

"Well that's not going to happen, not as long as I'm around." Dean responded.

Sam was incredulous, "What the hell are you talking about Dean, we've been searching for this demon our whole lives. It's the only thing we've ever cared about."

"Sam I want to waste it. I do. Okay? But it's not worth dying over." Dean explained.

"What?"

"I mean it. If hunting this demon means getting yourself killed then I hope we never find the damn thing." Dean threw his hands up.

"That thing killed Jess. That thing killed Mom." Sam didn't need to reiterate that fact.

Dean shook his head, "You said yourself once, that no matter what we do, they're gone, and they're never coming back."

Instantly Sam grabbed Dean. He pushed him against the wall and Dean let out a grunt. Grace stood up, "Sam! Don't."

He ignored her and focused on Dean. "Don't you say that, not you! Not after all this don't you say that."

Dean had calmed down. He spoke softly. "Sam look. The four of us...that's all we have...and it's all I have. Sometimes I feel like I'm barely holding it together man...and without you or Dad..."

Sam registered what Dean was saying. He let go of Dean and turned away. He walked across the room. Dean stood where he was and took a deep breath. Grace was getting sick of all the fighting. They wouldn't solve anything with tension amongst themselves.

Grace noticed the tears in Sam's eyes as he said, "He should have called by now. Try him again."

Dean nodded. He pulled out his phone and tried again. His eyes lit up when it answered, but it quickly shifted.

"Where is he?" Dean ground out. Dean hung up the phone. He looked at the both of them. "They've got Dad."

"Meg?" Grace asked.

Dean nodded.

"What'd she say?" Sam was panicked.

"I just told you, Sammy." Dean paused, "Okay, okay." Dean took the Colt from off the table in the room and stuffed it in the back of his pants. Grace watched him pack up. He was ready to leave.

"What are you doing, Dean?" Sam questioned.

"We got to go." Dean was focused on getting out of the town.

"Why?" Sam asked.

Dean put on his jacket. "Becaue the demon knows we're in Salvation, all right. It knows we got the Colt. It's got Dad – it's probably coming for us next." Dean explained what he had felt was obvious.

"Good. We've still got three bullets left. Let it come." Sam was losing focus. He was letting his need for revenge cloud his judgment.

Grace looked from Sam to Dean. "Wait, we had four?"

Sam looked away, ashamed.

"Dean? We had four bullets left."

"I tried to shoot the demon. I missed." Sam looked out the ground. Grace bit her lip from saying something she would later regret. She wanted to chastise Sam, but that would only encourage more fighting. How had she not heard the gun go off?

"Oh."

Sam crossed his arms, "We can still do this."

"Listen, tough guy, we're not ready, okay? We don't know how many of them are out there. Now, we're no good to anybody dead. We're leaving... now!" Dean yelled.

Grace clenched her jaw. She felt like she wasn't part of the group anymore. "We need a plan." Grace stared at Dean.

Dean took a breath and began to pace. Sam started throwing their clothes and supplies into a bag. Dean started working through what was happening, "Now, they're probably keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where. They're gonna wanna trade him for the gun."

Grace was following what he was saying, but Sam shook his head.

"What?" Grace asked.

"If that were true, why didn't Meg mention a trade? Look, Dad, he might be..."

"Don't." Dean cut him off.

"Look, I don't want to believe it any more than you. But if he is, all the more reason to kill this damn thing. We still have the Colt. We can still finish the job." Sam was blinded.

"Screw the job, Sam!" Dean yelled

"Dean, I'm just trying to do what he would want. He would want us to keep going. All of us." He looked at Grace.

Dean grew even angrier, "Quit talking about him like he's dead already. Listen to me, everything stops until we get him back, you understand me? Everything."

"So how do we find him?" Sam countered.

Dean shrugged, "Maybe we go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was taken."

"Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?" Sam scoffed.

Dean shook his head, "You're right. We need help."

Grace intervened finally, "I know where we can go."

Both of them raised their eyebrows at her.

"Where?" Dean asked.

"Bobby's."

OoOoOo

Grace had somehow convinced Dean to sleep and let Sam drive to Bobby's. Dean was exhausted physically and mentally. Sam had calmed down some, but Grace was hoping the drive would diffuse the situation a little further. Her mind kept jumping to John, but she would not let herself assume the worst.

The radio played classic rock, but it was nearly inaudible. Grace stared out the window. They were about three hours away. She had taken this drive so many times in her lifetime. But, this was the first time that she felt so weary going back home. She left a voicemail for Bobby and hoped he would be prepared for their arrival.

Sam looked over at Grace.

"I didn't mean…I shouldn't have said or did some of the things I did. It's no excuse, but I just wanted to kill the bastard so damn badly." Sam looked back at the road.

Grace nodded slowly, "I understand."

"What about you? You doing okay? You seem more distant from us than you usually are."

She shrugged, "I'm exhausted and I want to find John. You and Dean are at each others throats and it's just not helping anything."

Sam nodded.

Grace glanced back at Dean. "And honestly, I know I'm close with John. But, I think sometimes my being here hinders the group more. I'm not a part of this fight, but here I am."

"You're a part of it. We want you here. Not just Dad, but us too. Trust me." Sam told her. He had a way with his words. He just had to look at you with his puppy dog eyes and you'd fall for whatever he was saying.

"Thanks Sam."

"I'll try to reel in the emotions a bit." Sam promised.

Grace laughed softly, "I know this is important. I want the demon to be gone too."

Sam nodded, "Just hearing Dean talk about Jess and Mom like that…" Sam trailed off.

"He didn't mean it the way it came out."

Sam shook his head, "You two are so defensive about each other."

Grace flushed, "He's defensive about you too."

Sam shrugged, "It's different. But if everyone is playing dumb, I guess I'll focus on what's at hand."

Grace nodded, "Good. I'll nap. Wake me up when we get there."

"Will do."

OoOoOo

"Wake up sunshine." Dean muttered into Grace's ear. She sat up slowly. She was home. The junkyard surrounded her. It was nice being back to something familiar. Rumsfeld immediately began to bark at Sam who had started walking towards the house. Grace yawned and got out of the car. Dean stood beside her as they walked up to the house.

"You look so anxious. Why?" Grace asked.

"Bobby and Dad aren't exactly on good terms." Dean looked at her.

Grace laughed, "Oh I know, but it's okay. Hey Rumsfeld!" Grace jogged over to the big dog. His tail wagged furiously at her, causing her to smile more. She knelt down and allowed the dog to lick her.

"He's not so scary after all." Sam muttered.

"Oh he's a big vicious guard dog." Grace teased. She looked over at Dean who was just watching, a glint of amusement in his eyes. She couldn't really decipher the look on his face. Grace kissed the dog on the forehead and then stood.

She motioned for them to follow her inside. Bobby opened the broken screen door and grinned as soon as he saw her. He hugged her tightly. "I'm assuming you got my voicemail?" Grace asked when she pulled away.

"Yeah, come on in. Hey boys." Bobby waved everyone inside. Grace walked in casually. She rolled her eyes at the looks on Sam and Dean's faces. The house, she would admit, was cluttered. However, to her the stacked books and papers were pieces of information crucial to hunting.

She wanted to go upstairs and lay on her old mattress underneath a quilt she had bought at a Cracker Barrel but there was work to be done. "Come on this way." Bobby said as he went towards his workspace.

Bobby grabbed two round silver flasks with crosses on them and handed one to Dean. Sam had sat down at a desk and was already reading a very large book. Grace crossed her arms and leant against the doorway, observing. She was finally seeing Bobby and John's boys interact. The only person missing was John himself.

"Here you go." Bobby reached to Dean.

"What is this – holy water?" Dean questioned.

Bobby chuckled, "That one is." Grace watched him pull out another one, "This is whiskey." Bobby took a quick drink and then handed it to Dean. Dean smirked and took a drink himself.

"Bobby thanks. Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure we should come." Dean spoke.

"Nonsense. Your Daddy needs help." Bobby glanced at Grace. She had the feeling Bobby was helping more so for her than for John.

"Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot." Dean told him. Grace raised her eyebrow. She wondered if Dean knew why that actually happened.

"Yeah Bobby." Grace grinned slyly at him.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? John just has that effect on people." Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess he does." Dean looked down at the ground.

"None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him back." Bobby said almost gently.

"Bobby, this book... I've never seen anything like it." Sam was in awe. Bobby walked over to him and sat down. Grace hadn't even noticed that Sam had moved into Bobby's office.

"Key of Solomon? It's the real deal, alright." Bobby said.

"And these, uh, these protective circles. They really work?" Sam asked.

"Hell, yeah. You get a demon in - they're trapped. Powerless." Grace told him. Dean was no interested as he moved over to them.

"You guys know your stuff." Dean was impressed.

"Well I'll tell you something else, too. This is some serious crap you boys stepped in." Bobby nearly scolded.

"Oh, yeah? How's that?" Sam asked.

"Normal year, I hear of, say, three demonic possessions. Maybe four, tops." Bobby explained.

"Yeah?" Dean was disbelieving.

"This year I hear of 27 so far. You get what I'm saying? More and more demons are walking among us – a lot more."

"Do you know why?" Grace asked. She and Bobby hadn't really talked about any of this. The Winchesters had consumed her time almost since they met.

"No, but I know it's something big. The storm's coming, and you boys, your Daddy, now Grace – you are smack in the middle of it." Bobby wasn't too pleased about that. Just then Rumsfeld began barking.

Grace and Bobby made quick eye contact, and then she walked over to the window. The chain that had kept Rumsfeld in the yard was broken and hanging. She couldn't see Rumsfeld.

"Something's wrong." Grace couldn't stop looking out the window.

"What?" Bobby asked.

At that moment Meg kicked open the door. Grace turned to look at her. She strolled in casually. She was tiny, but she had an aura about her that screamed danger. She had short died hair and dark makeup on. But Grace knew that she was a demon, not a human.

"No more crap, okay?" She began.

Dean charged at her, the flask of holy water in his hands. Meg effortlessly swung her arm at him and he flew into a stack of books. He appeared to be knocked unconscious.

Sam stepped in front of Bobby and Grace. Grace, placing himself between Bobby and Meg.

"I want the Colt, Sam – the real Colt – right now."

Sam, Bobby, and Grace slowly moved back across the room. Grace knew there was a plan but her heart was beating fast. Meg slowly stalked towards them.

"We don't have it on us. We buried it." Sam lied.

"Didn't I say "no more crap"? I swear – after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you two chuckleheads. Lackluster, men. I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?" Meg was unimpressed..

Just then Dean stood behind her.

"Actually, we were counting on it." He stared at her.

Meg turned to look at him. Dean looked up, Meg followed suit. She was trapped. Grace had mentioned to Bobby that he should prep the house for a potential demon attack. He didn't disappoint.

"Gotcha." Dean smirked.

OoOoO

"She killed my dog." Grace whispered harshly. She felt hatred burning her stomach. Rumsfeld was her first friend and now he was gone. She glanced over at who Meg was tied to a chair in the middle of the floor, which hadn't been the easiest of tasks. Bobby was going around salting the doors and windows to prevent anymore demonic entries.

"I'm sorry Gracie." Dean spoke genuinely, one hand on her shoulder.

"You know, if you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was ask." Meg grinned, interrupting them.

Dean looked at Grace once more and walked to stand in front of the demon. "Where's our father, Meg?" He glared at her.

She tilted her head to one side, "You didn't ask very nice."

"Where's our father, bitch?" Dean smiled this time.

"Jeez. You kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, I forgot, you don't." She responded. Grace tensed as Dean lunged at her. He put his hands on both sides of her, grasping the chair arms.

"You think this is a damn game? Where is he?! What did you do to him?" Dean yelled. Bobby was standing beside Grace. She glanced at him. She really did not want this situation to get out of control.

"He died screaming. I killed him myself." She snapped.

Without any further hesitation, Dean slapped her across the face. Grace stood to attention. She looked at Bobby once more. Sam watched the scene before him.

"That's kind of a turn on – you hitting a girl." Meg had not lost her fight.

"You're no girl."

Grace and Bobby moved towards the other room. "Dean." Grace called, signaling him to follow her. The brothers followed them out.

Sam looked at his brother, "You okay?"

"She's lying. He's not dead." Dean absent-mindedly responded.

"I don't believe her either but Dean, you need to be careful with her. Don't hurt her." Grace spoke gently.

"Why?"

Bobby cut in, "Because she really is a girl, that's why."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"Well she's possessed. That's a human possessed by a demon. Can't you tell?" Bobby told them.

"Are you trying to tell me there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?" Dean asked. Grace and Bobby nodded. Dean stared at Meg, who was staring directly back. Blood dripped down her nose, her breathing heavy.

"That's actually good news." Dean said.

Grace wanted this all to be over.

OoOoOo

An exorcism was their next plan. Grace had never actually seen one, but had studied the incantations. She felt terrible for the human vessel before them. But, Grace also knew that she wasn't going to survive without the demon inside her. She was just waiting for Dean and Sam to figure it out.

Dean and Sam stood before Meg, the ritual before them.

"Are you gonna read me a story?" She asked.

"Something like that. Hit it, Sam." Dean crossed his arms.

Sam began to read the latin, "Regna terrae, cantate deo, psallite domino."

Meg glared at Dean, "An exorcism? Are you serious?"

"Oh we're going for it, baby – head spinning, projectile vomiting, the whole nine yards." Dean taunted

Sam continued to chant. Meg flinched in pain. Sam paused, but kept going. Grace wiped her eyes and let out a breath.

"I'm gonna to kill you. I'm gonna rip the bones from your body." Meg ground out.

"No, you're gonna burn in hell. Unless you tell us where our Dad is." He gave her a second to speak, but she stayed quiet. "Well, at least you'll get a nice tan." He motioned for Sam to keep going. Meg continued to shake. Grace knew she was in pain, but this was a part of the exorcism. Meg let out a pained gasp and Sam stopped.

"He begged for his life with tears in his eyes. He begged to see his sons one last time. That's when I slit his throat." She ground out.

Sam tensed and began to read again.

Dean leant down so he was face to face with Meg. "For your sake, I hope you're lying. Cause if it's true, I swear to God, I will march into hell myself and I will slaughter each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, so help me God!"

Dean kept his interrogation going while Sam read through the incantation.

"Where is he?"

"You just won't take "dead" for an answer, will you?" Meg cried out.

"Where is he?!" Dean yelled.

"Dead!" She screamed.

Dean was becoming more upset. "No, he's not! He's not dead! He can't be!" Sam stopped and watched his brother. "What are you looking at? Keep reading." Dean stared. Grace wanted to pull Dean aside and let him recoup but that wasn't an option.

"He will be!" Meg shouted.

"Wait! What?!" Dean stared at her.

"He's not dead. But he will be after what we do to him."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Dean spoke hesitantly.

"You don't."

"Sam!" Dean yelled so Sam would begin reading again.

Meg panicked, "A building! Okay? A building in Jefferson City."

"Missouri? Where, where? An address!"

"I don't know." Meg hung her head.

"And the demon – the one we're looking for - where is it?" Sam asked.

For the first time Meg sounded like a normal, human girl. Maybe because she knew she was defeated. "I don't know! I swear! That's everything. That's all I know."

Dean held a steady gaze, "Finish it."

Meg gasped, "What? I told you the truth!"

"I don't care."

"You son of a bitch, you promised." Meg ground out.

Dean felt too much satisfaction from this. "I lied! Sam?" He looked at his brother, who hadn't started reading. "Sam, read." Dean walked over to Sam, as did Grace.

"Maybe we can still use her. Find out where the demon is." Sam said quietly enough so Meg wouldn't hear her.

"She doesn't know." Dean shook his head.

"She lied." Sam was convinced.

"Sam, there's an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there. We've go to help her." Dean reasoned.

"You're gonna kill her." Grace finally spoke up.

"What?" Dean looked at her.

"Dean, you told me she fell from a building. That girl inside, her body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside. You exorcise it – that girl is going to die." Grace didn't want Meg to stay inside the girl, but the alternative was bleak.

"Listen to me, both of you, we are not gonna leave her like that." Dean kept his voice steady.

"She is a human being." Bobby said.

"And we're gonna put her out of her misery. Sam, finish it." Dean told him. Sam was hesitant. He looked at Meg, then to Grace and Bobby. He was struggling with what to do.

"Finish it." Dean repeated.

Meg threw her head back and let out a blood-curdling scream. The demon, in the form of a thick black cloud of smoke left her body. Meg's body slumped forward, blood dripping out of her mouth. She lifted her head back slowly. Her eyes were wet with tears, but it was obvious she was no longer possessed.

"She's still alive. Call 911. Get some water and blankets." Grace demanded. Grace began to untie Meg, Sam helped.

"Thank you." Meg whispered, her voice weak.

"Shh, shh. Just take it easy, alright?" Sam said soothingly.

"Come on. Let's get her down." Dean said. Grace took a step back as they began to lift the chair. The audible sound of bones crunching made Grace flinch. Meg screamed and they lowered her back to the floor.

"Sorry, sorry. I got you. I got you. It's okay. It's okay." Sam tried to calm her.

Meg's voice strained as she said, "A year."

"What?" Sam looked at her.

"It's been a year." Meg said again.

"Shh, just take it easy." Sam tried to be soothing, but he knew this was going poorly.

"I've been awake for some of it. I couldn't move my own body. The things I did – it's a nightmare." Tears dripped from her eyes.

"Was it telling us the truth about our Dad?" Dean disregarded her emotions and fragility.

"Dean." Grace scolded.

"We need to know." Dean countered.

"Yes. But it wants... you to know... that... they want you to come for him." Meg could barely form sentences.

"If Dad's still alive, none of that matters." Dean said. Grace glared at him. She didn't like how this was handled, but then again, could it have been done any other way? Bobby came in with a blanket and a glass of water. Grace took the water from him, while Bobby and Sam covered her with a blanket. Grace gently held her head up and helped her drink.

"Where is the demon we're looking for?" Sam spoke in a softer tone.

"Not there. Other ones. Awful ones." Meg warned.

"Where are they keeping our Dad?" Dean pressed.

"By the river. Sunrise." Meg told him.

""Sunrise". What does that mean? What does that mean?" Dean tried again. Grace put her hand on Dean's shoulder. Meg had died. Dean let out a breath. He didn't look at Grace again.

She looked at Meg and sadness flooded her.

OoOoOo

"You okay kiddo?" Bobby asked Grace. She stood in the kitchen, looking out the window. She took a drink from her glass of water and exhaled. Dean and Sam were grabbing some things they would need in getting John back.

"Bobby…I'm so tired." Grace felt like she could cry. She wanted to and maybe she needed to.

Bobby frowned, "You could stay here."

"You know I can't." Grace responded sadly. Her loyalty to John outweighed anything she was feeling right now. Bobby wiped the side of his face and let out a breath.

"You could, but I understand why you won't. Come here." Bobby opened his arms and wrapped them around Grace. She tried to relax, but she couldn't. Not until this was over.

Sam and Dean walked in. Bobby took a step back away from Grace and looked at the Winchesters. Grace knew how rough she looked but she didn't care. Dean stared at her and she hated his scrutiny. He probably thought she was weak that she didn't belong.

Bobby cleared his throat, "You all better hurry up and beat it. Before the paramedics get here."

"What are you gonna tell them?" Dean asked as he shifted his gaze to Bobby.

"You think you guys invented lying to the cops? I'll figure something out," He grabbed the book containing the Key of Solomon and handed it to Sam. "Here take this. You might need it."

"Thanks."

"Thanks... for everything. Be careful, alright?" Dean said to Bobby.

"You just go find your Dad. And when you do, you bring him around, would you? I won't even try to shoot him this time." Bobby smiled. Grace rubbed Bobby's shoulder and gave him a quick smile.

Then they left.

OoOoOo

They had been driving for about two hours when they stopped to get food. Sam had run into some random diner, while Grace and Dean stayed back.

"You okay?" Dean tried.

"Yes."

"I can tell you're not." Dean countered

"Are you okay?" She tried.

Dean looked away.

Grace nodded, "Yeah, I thought that might be your response." She knew she was being spiteful, but she was dog-tired and upset. She didn't need a pep talk or encouragement. They were closer to finding John and the more time wasted the worse the consequences could be.

Dean let out a heavy sigh, "Look, I did what I had to do to find Dad. I'm not going to apologize for that."

"I don't want you to."

"Then what do you want?" Dean was getting even more agitated.

"I want to find John."

"And then?"  
Grace looked at Dean, "I don't know."

Dean clenched his jaw. Grace was grateful that Sam was walking towards the car. She hated the negativity between the group at the moment but they were all anxious and tired. She especially disliked the tension between her and Dean.

Being upset with him was exhausting.

 **A/N: Tensions are certainly rising! Thank you all for reading :) Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	9. Chapter 8

Dean had parked the Impala by some random train tracks. Sam was leaning against the car flipping through the book, mesmerized by the incantations. Dean stood at the back of the car, loading guns into his duffel. Grace bit her lip and walked over to him.

"Need any help?" She spoke softly. She was extending an olive branch. The exorcism had brought out a side of Dean Grace had never seen before and it startled her. However, she knew they were going into a bad situation and if anything happened to Dean or to her, she wanted to at least be on good terms with him.

Dean shrugged and moved over so Grace could stand beside him. She began to grab a few supplies, including a dagger she particularly liked. They remained quiet as they loaded up.

Sam looked over at Dean, "You've been quiet."

"Just getting ready." Dean spoke tersely.

"He's gonna be fine, Dean." Sam told him.

Grace kept looking through supplies. Dean kept his head down and did the same thing. Sam continued to flip through the book.

"Thanks." Dean muttered, glancing at Grace.

"No problem." She responded politely.

Sam walked over and began to wipe the dirt from the trunk. He began to draw on the lid.

"Dude, what are you drawing on my car!" Dean dropped his duffel and stared at Sam.

"It's called a Devil's trap. Demons can't get through it or inside it." Sam explained.

"So?" Dean was unimpressed.

"It basically turns the trunk into a lockbox." Grace further explained.

"So?" Dean was a broken record. Grace smiled. He was such a weirdo about his car.

"So, we have a place to hide the Colt while we go get Dad." Sam hit his point home.

Dean shook his head, "What are you talking about? We're bringing the Colt with us."

"We can't, Dean. We've only got three bullets left. We can't just use them on any demon, we've got to use them on _the_ demon." Sam had finally got his head in the game.

"No, we have to save Dad, Sam, okay? We're gonna need all the help we can get." Dean argued.

"Dean, you know how pissed Dad would be if we used all the bullets? He wouldn't want us to bring the gun." Sam responded.

"I don't care, Sam. I don't care what Dad wants, okay? And since when do you care what Dad wants?" Dean snapped.

"We want to kill this demon. You used to want that, too. Hell, I mean, you're the one who came and got me at school! You're the one who dragged me back into this, Dean. I'm just trying to finish it!" Sam began to yell.

"Well, you and Dad are a lot more alike than I thought, you know that? You both can't wait to sacrifice yourself for this thing. But you know what? I'm gonna be the one to bury you. You're selfish, you know that? You don't care about anything but revenge." Dean was trying to get under his skin.

"That's not true, Dean. I want Dad back. But they are expecting us to bring this gun. They get the gun, they will kill us all. That Colt is our only leverage and you know it, Dean. We can not bring that gun. We can't."

"Fine." Dean gave up, but it wasn't convincing.

"I'm serious, Dean." Sam said.

"He's not going to bring it." Grace interrupted. Her frustration showed through. Dean stared at Grace, and then took the colt out of his jacket and put it in the trunk.

"Is everyone happy now?" Grace felt like she was dealing with children.

"Just peachy." Dean said.

"Yeah." Sam looked away.

"Then let's get a move on." Grace began to walk towards the town center.

OoOoOo

"Think I know what Meg meant by Sunrise." Dean announced. They had been walking for about ten minutes. Grace was absolutely used to the silence now. Everyone was on edge. They had walked through a clearing and were just stepping out of the trees off the highway. A set of apartments was before them, conveniently named "Sunrise Apartments."

"Son of a bitch. That's pretty smart. I mean, if these demons can possess people they can possess almost anybody inside." Dean scoffed.

"Yeah, and make anybody attack us." Grace pointed out.

"And so we can't kill them – a building full of human shields." Dean added.

"They probably know exactly what we look like, too. And they could look like anybody." Sam ran his hands through his hair.

"Yeah, this sucks out loud." Dean was surveying at the apartments and the surroundings.

"Tell me about it. Alright, so, how the hell are we going to get in?"

Grace suggested, "Pull the fire alarm, get out all the civilians."

Sam nodded, "Okay, but then the city responds in, what, seven minutes?"

"Seven minutes exactly."

"Then we better move quickly." Grace stared at the apartments.

OoOoOo

Grace had agreed to pull the fire alarm, while Dean and Sam would dress up as firemen to get inside the building. She would run back to the Impala and park just down the street. Then they would drive to a cabin in the woods, not far from here. It wasn't the greatest plan they had ever concocted, but she thought it might work.

But, she had been waiting for nearly twenty minutes already; too much time had gone by. She was sitting in the front seat, tapping her fingers anxiously on the steering wheel. She couldn't even relish the fact that she had finally gotten to drive the Impala. She bit her lip.

"Come on, come on." She muttered. What would she do if they didn't come? She couldn't just run into a complex of however many demons were there. She stiffened when she saw Dean and Sam carrying John. John was beat up, his eyes shut. She jumped out of the Impala and opened the backseat.

Sam and Dean ushered him into the vehicle and got in behind him. Grace ran back to the front seat and began to drive.

She hoped he was okay.

OoOoOo

Sam was putting salt around the windows and doors of the cabin. The cabin was in the middle of nowhere and she hoped that it was far away from the demons. Grace came over to Dean. She was thankful they were all there, mostly uninjured. Sam had gotten the words.

"John's okay." Grace whispered.

"He just needed a little rest, that's all. How are you?" Dean looked at her.

"I'm okay, really. Just…do you think we were followed?" She asked him.

"I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, we couldn't have found a more out-of-the-way place to hole up."

"Want to tell me what happened back there?" Grace asked. Dean glanced over at Sam and back to her. He clenched his jaw. She knew something had happened because Dean was acting different and Sam had told her that Dean saved his life.

"I brought the colt."

Grace nodded, "I found that out when I opened the trunk. Did you use it?"

Dean nodded, "I shot a guy," he paused, "There was a person in there."

"You didn't have a choice, Dean." Sam walked over. Grace could see the conflict in him.

"Yeah, I know, that's not what bothers me." Dean responded.

"Then what does?" Grace asked gently.

"Killing that guy, killing Meg. I didn't hesitate, I didn't even flinch. For you or Dad, or…" He trailed off, "The things I'm willing to do or kill, it's just, uh ... it scares me sometimes."

Grace felt her skin blush as she looked away. She knew he was about to say her name. Sam only stared at Dean, not quite knowing what to say.

Just then John came into the room.

"It shouldn't. You did good." John said proudly.

"You're not mad?" Dean asked wearily.

"For what?"

"Using a bullet." Dean continued.

"Mad? I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you – you watch out for this family. You always have." John said as he came closer. The hairs on the back of Grace's neck stood up. She registered immediately it wasn't John. John would never respond in such a way.

"Thanks." Dean murmured.

The wind suddenly picked up and the lights flickered. Grace went over to the window. Her heart was racing. John was possessed. And she wasn't sure Sam and Dean had caught on. How would they get out of this? With John alive?

"It found us. It's here." John announced.

"The demon?" Sam asked.

Ignoring him, John commanded, "Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door."

"I already did it." Sam shrugged.

"Well, check it, okay?" John urged. Sam nodded and left the room.

John turned to Grace, "Go help Sam."

She shook her head, "He's got it under control. I'll stay." She defied him. Dean turned to look at her. Something wasn't right. John glared, but returned focus to Dean.

"Dean, you got the gun?"

"Yeah."

"Give it to me." John asked, a little too eagerly.

Dean slowly took the colt from his jeans. He held it up, "Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared."

"This is me. I won't miss. Now, the gun, hurry."

Dean continued to hesitate. Grace stood behind Dean, near the window, watching the situation. Dean looked down at the gun, studying it. Grace knew in that moment Dean was aware.

"Son, please." John begged.

Dean began to back up a few steps to stand beside Grace.

"Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?" John was losing patience.

"He'd be furious." Dean said softly.

"What?" John asked.

Dean took a breath, "That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me, he'd tear me a new one."

Grace watched as Dean raised the gun and cocked it. She wasn't even breathing as she watched the exchange. She didn't know what Dean was going to do, hell she didn't know what she would do in this situation.

"You're not my Dad." Dean said.

"Dean, it's me." John argued.

"I know my Dad better than anyone. And you ain't him." Dean fought back.

"What the hell's gotten into you?" John bit out roughly.

"I could ask you the same thing. Stay back." Dean stood in front of Grace, protecting her. Sam walked into the room. As soon as he recognized what was happening his facial expression shifted.

"What the hell's going on?" Sam asked.

"Your brother's lost his mind." John stared at Sam.

"It's not John." Grace told him.

"What?" Sam was disbelieving.

"I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." Dean explained. He was becoming more upset.

"Don't listen to him, Sammy." John tried to coax him.

"How do you know?" Sam looked at Grace and Dean for answers.

Dean fought back tears that were threatening to fall. "He's... he's different." Was all could Dean say.

"You know, we don't have time for this. Sam, you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me." John pleaded with his younger son. Sam couldn't make up his mind. He looked back and forth between Dean and Sam. Dean doesn't say anything else, what else can he.

"Sam?" John tried again.

"No. No." Sam moved to stand beside Dean, in front of Grace. John only stared. Grace couldn't decipher what he was thinking.

"Fine. You're both so sure, go ahead. Kill me." John spoke carelessly.

There was a long pause. Grace put her hand on Dean's back for support. His breathing was uneven. He held the gun on John, but Grace wasn't sure he could pull the trigger.

"I thought so." John chuckled. He looked up at the three of them. His eyes turned yellow in a blink, revealing his demonic possession.

Sam snapped and lunged towards John. He was thrown against the wall, completely pinned. The same happened to Grace and Dean. Grace let out a grunt as her back smashed against the wall. Dean stared down at the colt on the ground as John began to pick it up.

"What a pain in the ass this thing's been." John's gaze lingered on the gun.

"It's you, isn't it? We've been looking for you for a long time." Sam stared at the demon in almost wonderment.

John raised his arms and laughed, "Well, you found me."

"But the holy water?" Sam questioned. Grace assumed they had tossed holy water on him and he had passed that test.

"You think something like that works on something like me?" John asked condescendingly. Sam tried to push against whatever force had them pinned but it was no use. Grace tried to relax, but she felt sick. She hoped John was okay.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam yelled.

"Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact," John put the gun on the table, "Here, make the gun float to you there, psychic boy." He taunted. Sam focused as hard as he could, and nothing. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his body shook.

"Well, this is fun." John muttered as he walked over to the window. Grace was on one side, Dean on the other. "I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this... this is worth the wait."

Dean struggled against the force.

"Your Dad – he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says "hi", by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood." John grinned. Grace let out a heavy breath.

"Let him go, or I swear to God." Dean was furious.

"What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice. You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter." There was a flicker of hurt in his eyes.

"Who, Meg?" Dean asked, not caring.

"The one in the alley? That was my boy. You understand."

"You've got to be kidding me." Dean rolled his eyes.

"What? You're the only one that can have a family? You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?" He smiled, "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right."

"You son of a bitch." Dean snapped.

"I wanna know why. Why'd you do it?" Sam yelled.

John turned, "You mean why did I kill Mommy and pretty, little Jess?"

"Yeah."

John looked back at Dean, "You know, I never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him. Been shopping for rings and everything." He looked back to Sam, "You want to know why? Because they got in the way."

"In the way of what?" Sam asked.

"My plans for you, Sammy. You... and all the children like you." John said with wonderment.

"Listen, you mind just getting this over with, huh? Cause I really can't stand the monologuing." Dean raised his eyebrow.

John scowled and moved over to him, "Funny, but that's all part of your M.O., isn't it? Masks all that nasty pain, masks the truth."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Dean hadn't lost his nerve.

"You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don't need you. Not like you need them. Sam – he's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight, it's more concern than he's ever shown you." John bit out.

"Will you just get on with it already. You have the gun what more do you want?" Grace shouted at the demon.

John looked at her and a smile formed. "Oh Gracie, I forgot you were here. You've been so quiet lately. I guess it's kind of hard to find your voice when you're following around Dean like a lovesick puppy. It's a shame because Johnny boy here would have liked to have a little taste himself."

Grace flushed as she tried to ignore the demons words. Dean glanced at her, watching her reaction.

Dean interrupted, "You know, I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em." Dean gave the demon the cockiest grin he could. John stepped back, his head down. When he looked up Dean cried out. His body contorted uncomfortably.

"Dean! No!"

"Stop it!"

Dean began to bleed heavily from his chest. Dark blood dripped onto the floor. Sam and Grace struggled against whatever bindings were on them.

Dean spit out blood, "Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!"

The demon only smiled and Dean continued screaming. John looks at him again and smiles. Grace had never seen Dean so bloodied. She feared if he didn't die from the wounds, he would die from blood loss alone.

"Dad, please." Dean whimpered. He slipped into unconsciousness. Grace yelled out, trying to stir him, but it changed nothing.

"Dean!" Sam yelled.

Grace heard John, the real John's voice whisper, "Stop. Stop it." Grace fell to her knees, Dean's blood coating her hands and clothes. Sam fell to the ground as well, but he ran over to the table and grabbed the colt. Grace moved over to Dean and shook him. He was not moving from the wall no matter how hard she pulled on him. There was too much blood, but his eyes were beginning to open.

John shook and then yellow eyes reappeared. Sam aimed the gun at John. Grace looked up.

"You kill me, you kill me now." The demon and John were in a constant struggle.

"I know." Sam whispered.

Sam fired the gun, the bullet landing in his leg. John fell down and so did Dean. Grace dropped to her knees. "Dean? Dean, hey? You're gonna be okay." She kept her hand on his shoulder.

"Where's Dad?" He asked weakly.

"He's right here. He's right here, Dean." Sam rushed out.

"Go check on him." Dean asked of his brother.

"Dean."

"Go check on him." Dean mustered as much strength as he could. Sam shook his head and went to go check on John. He was motionless on the floor, but Grace could see from where she knelt that he was still breathing.

"Dad? Dad?" Sam shook him.

"Sammy! It's still alive. It's inside me, I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son! Do it now!" John yelled. Sam stood back and aimed the gun at him.

Dean put his hand on Grace's knee and propped himself up, which caused a great deal of pain. He squeezed her knee painfully so. "Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it." Dean yelled.

"You've gotta hurry! I can't hold onto it much longer! You shoot me, son! Shoot me! Son, I'm begging you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!" John was shaking trying to control the demon.

"Sam, no." Grace tried to remain calm.

"You do this! Sammy! Sam..." Just then John tilted his head back and a cloud of black left him. The demon disappeared through the creaks in the floorboards. Grace could see the animosity in John's eyes as he stared at Sam.

"We need to get out of here. Help me move Dean." Grace started to help Dean to his feet. She ignored his grunts and flinches. Sam came to help, while John got to his feet.

They moved to the Impala as fast as they could. Grace opened the backseat door and Sam eased Dean inside onto the seat. Grace climbed in after him. Sam climbed into the drivers seat while John sat up front as well.

Grace knelt down and found her duffel. She unzipped it and began to search for anything she had that could remotely aid him. She pulled out a small plastic container and grabbed as much gauze as she could and rubbing alcohol. Grace was so focused she hadn't even noticed Sam had started to drive.

"Look, just hold on, alright. The hospital's only ten minutes away." Sam looked back in the rearview mirror.

"He'll be okay," Grace said to Sam and John, she turned to Dean, "It's just a little bit of blood, okay? You're gonna be okay." She wiped the blood from his face. How was blood still pouring from him?

"I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? Killing this demon comes first – before me, before everything." John said.

"John, enough." Grace snapped.

Dean looked at her. She squeezed his hand as Sam began to talk about the colt. The last thing she saw was a glimmer of a smile on Dean's face.

Then it was dark.

 **A/N** : Hey all! Thank you for reading/reviewing/favoriting. Anyways I have two things I want to address really quick...

1\. Clearly this is where season 1 of the show ends, and I want to know if you all want the next chapter posted in this story, or to start a sequel of Day Is Gone?

2\. I'm not going to be updating as much while classes go on, the same goes for my other story Savior. So new chapters will be spread out, but I am not going to abandon any of my stories.

Thanks!


	10. Chapter 9

**I know it's been a long, long time since I've posted a chapter. I said I would not abandon this or my other story and I am standing by that. I'm hoping to update more so over the coming holidays. Hopefully some of you are still out there and interested! Enjoy :)**

Grace eyes opened slowly. She tried to move, but winced. Her entire body ached. She turned her head to the left and saw Sam sitting next to her. He was reading something, she couldn't tell what.

"Sam." She whispered, a smile forming. Her throat was dry. He looked at her and shot to his feet. His lips turned into a grin and it made her feel better than she should. He leaned towards her and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Grace, you're awake." He murmured.

"Yeah, what happened?" Her mind was fuzzy, still not processing what was going on. She was not even aware of where she was.

Sam frowned, "We got in a car accident."

Then it came rushing back to her. Her mind jumped to John being possessed, Dean bleeding out while she tried to nurse him and then she woke up. She moved to sit up, even though Sam tried to stop her. She pushed through the pain she was feeling. An IV was in her arm, her abdomen felt the worst and her head wasn't too much better.

"Where's Dean?" Grace asked hastily.

Sam hesitated.

"And John? Sam answer me."

"Dad's fine," he paused, "Dean isn't doing too well. I just talked to the doctor and he's afraid Dean might not wake up." The words hit Grace hard. It was not an option that Dean didn't wake up.

"What's wrong?"

"There's internal damage and he's lost a lot of blood. The doctor is worried that fluid will build up in his skull. He's surprised that Dean's made it this long, but he's fighting." Sam explained.

Grace had become numb at some point. "I want to see him."

"Grace, you just woke up. You have a concussion and two broken ribs, you need to rest."

"Sam," Grace stared at him, not believing what she was going to say next, "I need to see him, okay. Can you just please help me? Get a nurse or a doctor, just help." She felt tears beginning to form and she was too tired to wipe them away.

Sam stared at her. He shrugged, "Alright, I'll get a nurse and we'll go together. Then we'll go see Dad." She nodded as Sam walked out of the room. She let out a shaky breath, not believing what was going on. Why was she so emotional? Crying even?

A nurse and Sam walked back into the room, an empty wheelchair accompanying them. Grace was grateful for Sam in that moment. "Hello Grace, I'm Liz, your nurse. Sam tells me you want to go see your brother?"

Grace stared, initially not understanding, but then she nodded.

Liz nodded slowly, "I think you should just stay in bed for a little while longer."

"I feel fine." Grace responded.

Liz nodded, "I understand that, but we just want to be sure that you are okay."

Grace clenched her jaw, "I'm getting up with or without your permission."

Liz nodded slowly, "Let me give you a quick once over and then I'll take you to see him."

Grace glanced back at Sam and he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Okay." Grace conceded.

OoOoOo

Sam slowly pushed her into Dean's hospital room. The pain she had experienced upon waking up had dulled. Her grip on the wheelchair tightened. Dean lay before her. It was strange because she had seen him sleeping dozens of times before this, but now it was different. Now there was a chance that he wouldn't wake up.

She stared at him for a long time, thoughts running through her mind rampantly. Sam and John were okay, and so was she. Why was Dean the one who wasn't? He held the group together and now he was probably not going to make it.

Grace let out a shaky laugh, "How fucked up is this?" She paused, "We're all okay Dean. I really need you to wake up because we have a lot to do. And we can't do it without you." Sam just stood there, giving her space.

She wanted to cry again, but she wasn't going to let herself. Instead she kept talking, "You know before I actually met you and Sam, I thought about meeting you guys all the time. What it would be like and if we would get along. I thought since I was so connected with John, we'd automatically get along. But at first you didn't like me, remember? And I thought you were kind of a jackass. But now we're friends. How strange is that?"

She let out a breath. She gently touched his hand, his skin warm against hers. "Dean…please wake up soon. If you don't I don't know what we'll do. I don't know what I'll do." Grace whispered. It was the thought that she might never argue with him again or see him awake and laughing that really got to her.

She looked back at Sam, "Let's go see John."

Sam nodded.

OoOoOo

John lay in his hospital bed, his arm in a sling. He was a little bruised up but from aside that he looked perfectly okay. He smiled when he saw Grace, but he was worried. She felt a little strange seeing him now since the last time he was possessed. She hadn't focused on him at all once Dean began bleeding. She shook the thoughts away.

"Hey Gracie."

"Hey old man, they treating you well?" She teased.

He chuckled, "I'm fine. You sure you should be up and about?" John asked, letting his paternal instinct show through.

"Technically I'm rolling around and the nurse cleared me. I think I heard her say something about insurance though."

John awkwardly leant over and grabbed his wallet off the table beside his bed. "Give them my insurance." Sam took the card from him.

Sam read it over and grinned, "Elroy McGillicutty?"

John kept his smile, "And his three loving children. So, what else did the doctor have to say? Any word about Dean?"

Grace looked at Sam. She wondered how much John knew, because he didn't seem too worried. "Nothing. Look. The doctors won't do anything, then we'll have to, that's all. I don't know, I'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on him." Sam was grasping at straws.

"We'll look for someone." John didn't sound all too convincing.

"Yeah."

"But Sam, I don't know if we're gonna find anyone." John told the truth. Finding someone to deal so easily with life and death was not easy. Especially since the Winchesters were so involved with the yellow eyed demon.

"Why not? I found that faith healer before." Sam pointed out.

"All right, that was, that was one in a million." John said. Grace frowned. The situation was looking bleak.

"So what? Do we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?" Sam started to get emotional.

"No, I said we'd look. All right? I'll check under every stone." John paused, "Where's the colt?"

Sam gave his father a look that could kill. Grace stared at him, "Your son is dying, and you're worried about the colt?" She was sickened by his concern for that gun. It had gotten them in enough trouble since they found the damn thing and it was still all John cared about.

"We're hunting this demon, and maybe it's hunting us too. That gun may be our only card." John argued.

Sam frowned, but answered, "It's in the trunk. They dragged the car to a yard off of I-83."

"All right. You've gotta clean out that trunk before some junk man sees what's inside." John ordered.

"I already called Bobby. He's like an hour out, he's gonna tow the Impala back to his place." Sam explained. At the mention of Bobby, Grace tensed. She hadn't even talked to him yet. She felt guilty that he had not even crossed her mind.

"Does he know I'm okay?" She looked up to Sam.

"Yeah. It took a hell of a long time to convince him not to come down here." Grace smiled at that.

"I'll call him soon to let him know I'm alright." Grace murmured, not really feeling that okay.

John nodded and then looked at Sam, "All right. You go meet up with Bobby, get that colt, and you bring it back to me. And you watch out for hospital security."

"I think I've got it covered." Sam said confidently.

John nodded and then picked up a sheet of paper that was near his wallet.

"Here. I made a list of things I need, have Bobby pick them up for me."

Sam grabbed the paper and skimmed it. Grace watched his expression change. "Acacia? Oil of Abramelin? What's this stuff for?" Sam questioned. Grace knew immediately. She turned to look at John to see what lie he was going to come up with now.

"Protection." John responded.

Sam was ready to leave, but asked, "Hey, Dad? You know, the demon, he said he had plans for me, and children like me. Do you have any idea what he meant by that?"

"No, I don't." John responded.

Sam nodded. He turned to Grace and put his hand on her arm, "You'll be okay?" He asked softly. She appreciated Sam's nurturing nature and his sensitivity.

"Yeah, thanks Sam." She smiled.

Without another word Sam left. Grace stared at John until he looked at her. She raised her eyebrow at him. There was never a dull moment with this group of men. "He's going to find out and he won't be happy. Just like I'm not." Grace bit out, her voice dangerously low.

"It's not up for discussion." John responded.

"Why are you summoning it?" Grace asked.

John shook his head, "It's our only shot."

"Fine." Grace disagreed and started to wheel herself out of the room. John was only upsetting her and she would rather rest and recuperate then further stress herself out.

"Gracie, did you see him? Dean?" John asked.

She let out a breath, "Of course I did, but I'm going to guess you assumed that." She thought back to what the demon had said. John was more sure about her feelings for Dean than he had let on. At this rate everyone in the world knew except Dean.

"Dean's a lucky man." John said.

Grace flushed, "Yeah, lying in a hospital bed, dying. He won the lottery on this one." She was deflecting.

"That's not what I mean. He's lucky to have you."

"He doesn't have me. We're friends. If Sam were in Dean's position I would be just as worried." Grace lied through her teeth, but it was a moot point.

"You'll look out for each other?" John asked.

"John."

"Promise me."

"Yes."

She left the room without another word, too exhausted to talk anymore.

OoOoOo

Grace awoke with a start. Sweat drenched her body as she breathed unevenly. She had gone back to her room after speaking with John and taken a nap in hopes of feeling better when she woke up. Instead she felt sick to her stomach.

In her dream she looked a little older and she felt completely alone. Bobby was gone, so were Sam and Dean, John as well. She was just walking through a house all alone looking for them. She walked down a long hallway; it struck her that it was the house she had grown up in with her parents. There was an empty cradle in the middle of the room. Grace felt a sense of urgency in the dream as she went over to the cradle, only to find no baby.

Now that she was awake she felt like she was crawling in her skin. She wanted her clothes, she wanted to shower and eat something. She was sick of the light blue hospital gown they had put her in. She hit the call button beside her.

Liz came into the room almost immediately. "When can I leave?" Grace asked pointedly.

Liz smiled gently, "By tomorrow morning. We just want to make sure that you're good to go."

Grace nodded slowly, "Can I change clothes?"

"I'm afraid not. While admitted you have to wear the gown." Liz was incredibly sweet, even though Grace was feeling the exact opposite.

Grace was about to say something else when Sam came running into the room. He looked panicked and his eyes were teary. Liz looked between the two of them, smiled politely once more and left the room without another word.

"Sam?"

"I have a plan." Sam said as he helped Grace up and into the wheelchair that was beside her bed. She noticed a brown paper bag under his arm.

"What's going on?" She asked, imagining the worst.

"Just hold on, two minutes." Sam offered no explanation.

"Did you see Bobby?" Grace tried as Sam began to lead her out of the room.

"Yes, you didn't call him yet." Sam muttered.

"I'm getting to it." Grace muttered.

OoOoOo

Sam moved her to sit at a table at the foot of Dean's bed. He looked exactly the same, his breathing was even and his color normal. Her stare lingered a little longer and then she turned to Sam. He had set the bag on the table between them and took a seat.

"What's going on?" She asked again.

Sam took a breath, "Before I tell you, I have a question."

"Okay, shoot." She tried to be patient.

"Did you know that Dad was trying to summon the demon?" Sam looked her squarely in the eyes. She couldn't lie, not to him.

"Yeah I did."

"You weren't going to tell me?" Sam asked.

"Would it have made a difference?" Grace countered.

Sam shook his head, "I guess not."

"I'm sorry Sam. But can you please tell me what's going on." Grace was at a loss.

Sam nodded, "While Dad and I were talking, Dean stopped breathing," he paused. Grace hated her reaction because her eyes widened and she looked at Dean, making it all the more obvious.

"And?" She asked hurriedly.

"I thought he was going to die and then all of a sudden he started breathing again, and I felt him in the room. It was like he was standing there with me." Sam continued to explain.

Grace asked, "Like his spirit?" She knew she sounded skeptical, but she couldn't help it.

Sam nodded, "And if that's not enough, Dad and I were fighting this morning and suddenly, out of thin air a glass flew off the table and broke."

"He didn't want you two fighting." Grace connected the dots and ignored the fact that John and Sam were at it again.

Sam nodded and smiled, "Exactly. So I went and picked up something that I thought would help."

"Well you've been busy today Sam." Grace smiled.

Sam rolled his eyes as he pulled a Ouji board out of the bag. He set it on the table and put the bag on the floor. Grace stared at it and then laughed outright. She had never used one personally, but she had heard they had their uses.

"You think this is going to work?" She asked skeptically.

"Guess we'll find out." Sam gave her a quick grin.

"Dean? Dean, are you here?" Sam called out. Sam's fingers were steady on the wooden triangle that would hopefully convey Dean's responses. Grace watched eagerly. She couldn't control her grin when the pointer slowly moved to "YES" on the board. Sam let out a relieved chuckle.

"It's good to hear from you, man. It hasn't been the same without you, Dean." Sam murmured.

"I'll be damned." Grace said in complete awe. She had seen demons and vampires yet the Ouji board surprised her. They both watched as the pointer began to move to more letters.

"Dean, what? H? U? Hunt? Hunting? What, are you hunting?" Sam asked.

The pointer slid back to "YES"

"It's in the hospital, what you're hunting? Do, do you know what it is?" Sam rushed out.

"Slow down Sam." Grace chided.

Sam sighed, "Okay, what is it?"  
The pointer slid again to the letters: R, E, A, P.

Grace paled, "A reaper? Dean, is it after you?"

The pointer slid to "YES".  
Sam frowned, "If it's here naturally, there's no way to stop it.

Grace muttered, "Sam, this isn't good. If he's marked for death there isn't a way around it." It was like another blow to the stomach.

Sam shook his head, "There's gotta be a way. Dad'll know what to do. I'll go talk to him, are you good here?"  
Grace nodded, "Yeah, go ahead." Sam nodded quickly and left the room leaving her alone with the board and Dean. She wondered where he was in the room, if he were still there.

"Dean, are you here still?"

The pointer slid to "YES".

She chuckled. "Did you hear what I said to you this morning?" She hoped not. It was too personal and embarrassing.

The pointer unfortunately slid to "YES".

"Did you hear John and I?" She prayed not.

The pointer didn't move right away, but it slid to "NO".

"Are you telling me the truth?" She asked to be sure.

The pointer slid to "YES".

She bit her lip; "We'll get you out of this. I'm getting discharged tomorrow so I'll be able to help Sam a little bit more. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

The pointer slid to "YES".

Grace laughed, "This will be the easiest conversation we ever have because you can't argue with me. Be careful Dean."

She just hoped they could help him.

OoOoOo

Grace turned over restlessly and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was midnight. She had been in her room for the last five hours with no word from John or Sam. She had called and texted of course with no response. She had gone to John's room earlier but she was not there. There was a pit in her stomach, a feeling she couldn't shake. Her mind would not slow down as thoughts of Dean ran rampantly. She was not one to pray, but she found herself doing just that.

Her phone vibrated beside her causing her heart to jolt. She answered hastily thinking it would be Sam or John. Instead Nora's shrill voice rang through her ears.

"Grace Bradley!" Nora shouted.

Grace closed her eyes and sighed, "Nora…hey, I am so sorry-" Grace could not even finish her sentence.

"Sorry? Sorry? I get a phone call from Bobby, who was inconsolable by the way, saying that you are in a hospital bed! He thought you were going to die! And I didn't know what to think!" Nora didn't take a breath.

Grace bit her lip because she almost laughed. Instead she cleared her throat, "Nora I'm fine, I have a concussion. Well they say I have a concussion, I'm not sure I believe them." Grace tried to make light of the situation.

"That's not funny."

Grace's smile fell, "I know," she paused, "Dean's in pretty bad shape. And I'm afraid John is going to do something he can't take back."

Grace imagined Nora shaking her head. "Grace, damn it, I'm all for the Winchesters but you are my family."

Grace felt her throat tighten, "I know. You're mine too. But I'm okay. I've been up and moving around and I have gotten some sleep too."

Nora grunted in response, not convinced.

"Remember when we went on that hunt in Texas? How bad I got hurt?"

"Yes? How is that helping?" Nora asked, frustrated.

"I'm not anywhere close to that. I have a minor concussion and a few broken ribs. That's all. I promise."

There was a silence amongst them. Grace waited for a response. Nora tried not to be emotional or act like she was too attached, but Grace knew otherwise.

Nora let out a groan and Grace smiled.

"Tell me what's happening with the Winchesters." Nora conceded.

Grace couldn't believe how much she began to share.

OoOoOo

Grace felt like herself again. She wore a black t-shirt and jeans with her old pair of converse. Her hair was clean and fell in loose waves around her face, she even put on a little bit of makeup. She was actually happy. After talking with Nora the night before and the news she had received today, things were turning around. At around nine in the morning, the nurse had come into her room informing her that she could be discharged. And Sam had texted her that Dean was awake. She felt better that they could all leave the hospital.

Grace glanced back at the hospital room and then made her way down the busy hallway and into John's room. She tapped on the doorframe before she walked in. John lay in his bed, dark circles under his eyes but his smile was bright.

"You still mad at me?" John asked, slightly teasing. He was dressed normally as well and looked ready to go.

Grace sat on the edge of the bed and huffed, "I guess not."

"Good," he gave her a once over, "You look ready to go."

Grace nodded, "Yeah I am. Listen John, I know the last few days have been a mess, but I'm really happy we're all okay."

John nodded, "Me too. I'm really proud of you Gracie."

"Don't." She flushed.

He shook his head, "I'm serious. I never praised you enough, but ever since you were a kid you were something special. Thank you for looking out for my boys too, both of them. Keep that up will you."

Grace frowned, "John?"

He shook his head and kissed her forehead, "No, come on let's go see Dean."

Grace was weary of their interaction, but she was ready to see Dean up and about. She nodded and stood up. She hooked her arm through John's and they walked down the hall side by side. Grace knocked on the doorframe and walked in. Sam and Dean had been mid conversation but they stopped talking.

"How you feeling, dude?" John asked.

Dean smiled at Grace and looked at John, "Fine, I guess. I'm alive."

"That's what matters." John said.

"You remember anything?" Grace asked. She had mixed feelings on whether or not she wanted him to, but maybe it was for the best he didn't.

"No. I remember bleeding in the backseat and…" he paused, "That's it."

Grace nodded, "Probably best that way." Dean stared at her and Grace felt uncomfortable by his scrutiny. She had thought of the way he felt in her arms, his body heavy against her and his warm blood pooling onto her. A brief flash of talking to his unconscious form struck her, but she shook it away.

Sam glared at John, "Where were you last night?" Grace turned to John. She hadn't known that he had been anywhere but his room.

"I had some things to take care of." John said cynically.

"Well, that's specific." Sam responded dryly.

"Come on, Sam." Dean sounded tired.

"Did you go after the demon?" Sam kept on.

"No." John gruffly responded. Grace glanced at him.

"You know, why don't I believe you right now?"

John took a breath and said, "Can we not fight? You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

Grace's stomach tightened. She had never really heard John talk to Sam like this before. According to the looks on Sam and Dean's faces they weren't prepared for the sentiment either.

"Dad, are you all right?" Sam asked, now sounding concerned.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little tired. Hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?" He asked Sam.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Sam said and left the room.

Grace suddenly felt the exhaustion of the day. She squeezed John's hand, "I'll go help Sam."

She hugged him. She wasn't sure if he really interacted with the demon or not, but she had a feeling and it was not good. John squeezed her tightly, causing her to wince. She kissed his cheek, "I love you." She said it so quietly that Dean couldn't even hear her. She had never told John she loved him, or Bobby for that matter.

John whispered, "I love you too. Remember what I said. He needs you."

Grace reddened. She glanced back at Dean who was watching the scene before him in utter confusion. Grace just nodded and left the room. She felt like she could cry, but she was not sure why.

She walked down the hallway, kind of in a daze. Her nurse, Liz gave her a small wave but Grace could only nod in reply. The doctors and nurses passed her in a rush. She felt immensely sad. Since meeting up with John and hunting all together, finding him, being in the hospital. It was more than she bargained for and she wasn't sure she was cut out for all of it.

She walked down a flight of stairs to the cafeteria and saw Sam standing at a coffee machine. She watched him briefly and then walked over to him. "Need any help?" She asked as she grabbed a cup for herself. She clicked a button for decaf and watched the cheap coffee drip into the Styrofoam.

Sam chuckled, "No I don't. Did you get booted out too?"

Grace shrugged, "No and you weren't booted out."

Sam rolled his eyes, "So, uh Dean doesn't remember anything."

"I heard."

Sam continued, "You two…"

"Sam, let's just not today. Any other day I could do it, but right now I can't." Grace said as gently as she could.

Sam frowned, "He feels the same."

"Sam…" she took a breath, "Come on let's go back. They're probably wondering what's taking so long."

They walked in silence. Grace sipped her coffee and thought about what Sam said. Dean couldn't possibly feel anything similar. Hell, it took him nearly dying for her to realize that she wanted him.

They walked up the stairs and down the hall. And then everything changed. Sam stopped in a doorway to a hospital room. Grace heard Sam yell and when she looked over she ran to Sam's side.

John was on the floor, not breathing or moving. His skin was still warm, which gave Grace a false sense of hope. Grace yelled for help, tears falling onto John's shirt. He had been saying goodbye, this whole time. He had gone and seen the demon and he traded himself for Dean. How could she not have seen it?  
Nurses and doctors crowd into the room and push Sam and Grace out of the way. They move John to the bed and begin to try and resuscitate him. Grace didn't even notice Dean had come and stood beside them. A nurse tried to move them out of the doorway, but Dean was the first to resist.

"No, no, no, it's our dad. It's our dad!" Dean pleaded. Grace couldn't look away. John Winchester was dead, his body was right before her. She squeezed Dean's hand out of fear, not comfort. She couldn't take her eyes away from the scene before her.

"Okay, stop compressions." One of the doctors said. Grace was bothered by how indifferent he sounds.

"Come on, come on." Dean muttered.

"Still no pulse." A nurse responded.

"Okay, that's it everybody. I'll call it. Time of death: 10:41 am." The doctor announced. A nurse scribbled the time down on a clipboard.

Grace thought she was going to be sick. The tears in her eyes were coming down in silent streams. She couldn't move. This man who saved her and raised her was gone. And for the last two days he had been dropping hints that he was leaving. He knew all along.

"Come on Gracie." Dean pulled her out of the doorway and brought her closer to the wall of the hallway. He hugged her tightly to his chest. She wasn't sure if it was to comfort her or himself.

They stood there for what seemed like hours.

Grace didn't stop crying.

OoOoOo

Grace dealt with death differently than others did. After her parents died she was quiet and withdrawn for a long time. There were just no words when death struck. She felt the loss deeply and with John Winchester it was no different.

She had no desire to watch his body burn. Instead she sat on the back steps of her home with Bobby and watched the flames and ash from afar. She had a small glass of whiskey, just to take the edge off. When they had gotten home she showered, cried, and then she sat in her room. The whole day seemed like a horrible dream. It was only within the last half hour that Grace had moved outside. She thought fresh air would do her good.

The screen door creaked open and then slammed shut. She didn't even look back as Bobby rubbed her back gently, "How ya doin?"

"I don't know." She stared ahead.

Bobby nodded. It broke his heart seeing Grace like this. She saw smoke start to rise from just past the tree line. She had told Sam earlier that she didn't want to watch. Maybe it was selfish, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye. And watching John's body burn just seemed too final.

Grace stood up and let out a breath, "I don't know what to do now."

Bobby cleared his throat, "Get some rest. We'll regroup later."

Grace nodded and was about to make her way inside. She turned towards Bobby and said, "I'm sorry I didn't call. I'll do better," she took a breath, "I love you Bobby, thank you for everything you've done for me." She saw Bobby's eyebrows rise, but did not stay to hear what his response would be.

Instead she made her way upstairs in a daze.

OoOoOo

She awoke with a start to the sound of glass breaking. Grace slowly got out of bed and rubbed her eyes. She wore a tank top and shorts, nothing fancy. She was surprised how easy sleep had come to her, but she remained restless.

The light hurt her eyes as she made her way downstairs towards the kitchen. To her surprise Dean was in the leaning against the countertop. His head was in his hands. Grace leant in the doorway, watching him. His shoulders shook and she knew she was witnessing a personal, private moment. He hadn't even changed clothes from this afternoon.

Grace shook her head slowly as she made her way over to the broken glass. She leant down and began to pick up the pieces. Dean looked down at her and cleared his throat.

"I'll get that." He whispered.

"I've got it." Grace murmured as she tossed the pieces of glass into the bin beside them.

She crossed her arms and leant against the counter. Dean poured some more whiskey and knocked it back in one gulp. He exhaled roughly and set the glass down. He poured another one, but before he could drink it, Grace put her hand on his and lowered it. He stared down at the counter top and closed his eyes. She could smell the alcohol and the familiar smell that a fire emits. She kept her hand there and stayed quiet.

"He's gone." Dean muttered brokenly.

"I know." Grace tilted her head and looked at him.

His thumb traced circles on Grace's hand. His skin was rough compared to hers, but his touch was gentle. Her body warmed and she looked up at him. His eyes met hers and her stomach tightened. Just by the look he gave her she suddenly felt not alone. If anyone understood her, how she felt, it was him.

"He loved you Dean. And he was proud." Grace spoke with conviction and sincerity. She believed that to be the absolute truth. Dean stared down at her, and without thinking any further, he kissed her.

Grace still had her eyes open, but as soon as Dean's hands moved to her waist and pulled her closer to him, she relaxed and gave in. It was in that moment she realized she wanted Dean. She had been confused about her feelings for him, but something about the way it felt to be in his arms provided her with clarity. In this moment, she realized it was much more. Her inexperience didn't halt her as she often thought it would.

Dean's lips were soft and warm against hers, his taste inviting. She pushed closer to him and let out a soft breath. Her arms wrapped around him, it was as if she couldn't get close enough to him. His arms were strong around her. Dean's tongue slipped over hers. Grace felt a rush of intense lust.

Dean stopped and rested his forehead against Grace's. "I'm sorry." Dean whispered.

Grace shook her head and looked at him, "Don't be."

"We can't do this."

"Do what? Kiss?"

"I don't want to just kiss you right now." Dean spoke softly.

Grace's cheeks flushed. Excitement made her heady as she looked at Dean. "I don't want you to either."

Dean took a step back, "I told him I'd look after you and I'm doing the exact opposite." Dean suddenly turned bitter. He turned away from Grace and took the glass of whiskey. He drank it too fast for Grace to attempt to stop him.

Grace bit her lip, "I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow." As she turned away, embarrassed, his hand grabbed her wrist and he pulled her back.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Dean looked at her. And while Dean asked the question, Grace instantly knew that she would not be able to say no.

"Yes, but only after you shower and change your clothes." She didn't want to sleep next to Dean with him smelling like the fire that burned John. Dean nodded, understanding her reasons.

They walked upstairs quietly. Grace sat on the edge of her bed as Dean walked into his room. He grabbed a change of clothes and then followed Grace to her bedroom. "I'll be out in a minute." Dean said softly.

Grace nodded. As soon as he closed the door to the bathroom, she exhaled and lay back on the bed. Her heart beat fast. What were they doing? She feared Dean would walk into her room, laugh, and leave. She tried to tell herself this was all being done out of grief. She was finding comfort in Dean and he was finding comfort in her.

Suddenly, he walked out of the bathroom, over to the bed and got under the covers. His hair was still wet and portions of his body were not completely dry. He motioned for Grace to follow suit without a word. In stunned silence she laid underneath the covers like she had done hundreds of times before. He effortlessly pulled her into his arms. Grace relished his warmth and felt like her skin must be burning his. She could feel his breath on her neck. Their bodies fit perfectly. Grace slid her hand over Dean's and held it over her stomach. She wasn't sure how long they laid there together in the most comfortable silence. Once her body relaxed, she began to think about John and his death. What did his loss mean? She didn't feel like she could keep hunting, not right away.

"He told me that I might have to kill Sam." Dean said it so softly Grace was sure she misheard. She tensed.

She rolled over and faced him, "What?"

"He said I had to watch out for him, save him. If I didn't I might have to kill him." Dean explained.

Grace couldn't imagine that Dean would ever be capable of something like that. She was shocked that John would even ask something that of her. She twisted her head back to look at Dean.

"Any idea why?"

Dean looked at her, "Maybe it's something with what the demon said. I don't know. But I'm not losing Sammy."

"We'll figure it out." Grace whispered.

She kissed him gently and swiftly; short enough so he wouldn't have a chance to pull away. Dean wrapped his arms around her more tightly. Grace closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"Gracie I'm so tired."

"I know Dean."

"I just…." Dean trailed off.

"Don't Dean, it's okay. Just for tonight sleep and we can talk about this later." She spoke soothingly.

"Thank you."


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey all! Thank you for the patience as I update. Nursing school is not conducive with writing ;)**

The next morning Grace woke up alone. She felt the side of the bed where Dean had laid. She bit her lip as she thought about last night. It was a difficult night for both of them, yet somehow they had found solace in each other. When she had fallen asleep last night, she felt comforted. However now she felt weary about the day and what she would have to face.

She stretched, got out of bed and went to brush her teeth. She tried to control the butterflies in her stomach. Grace glanced in the mirror and quickly looked away. Her eyes were tired, the skin around them puffy. She put her hair up in a ponytail and dressed in jeans and an old grey t-shirt.

She walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Dean's back was to her. He was making coffee. Her heart involuntarily sped up when she looked at him. Sam was messing with a cell phone, it looked like John's. But there was no sign of Bobby.

"Morning." Sam looked up, his eyes brightening.

"Morning," She moved to sit across from Sam. She swore she saw Dean visibly tense at the sound of her voice. She ignored it and tried to push her nerves away.

"You seen Bobby?" She asked.

"He went to run some errands, should be back soon." Sam glanced up at her and smiled.

She nodded, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to hack into Dad's voicemail. It might take awhile." Sam seemed like he was trying to be in good spirits. Dean still hadn't even acknowledged her.

"His voicemail?"

"Yeah to see if maybe there's any information we could use or see what to do next. I don't know." Sam sheepishly explained.

"I think that's a great idea Sam." Grace encouraged.

Sam grinned. Dean put his cup in the sink and finally turned to face them. He looked at Sam, "I'm gonna go work on the car." Grace stared openly waiting for him to acknowledge her. She couldn't believe he was blatantly ignoring her. Sam glanced between the two of them and then back to Dean.

"Okay. We'll be here." Sam muttered.

Grace stood and walked past Dean, resisting the urge to shove him and poured a cup of coffee. She heard the screen door shut, more so of a slam really, and then let out a frustrated scoff. Sam twisted in his chair.

"Should I even ask?"

Grace clenched her jaw but said nothing.

"Did something happen between you two?" Sam asked cautiously.

"No. Nothing." Grace bit out.

Sam shook his head, "Alright then."

Grace couldn't even take a drink and she dumped it in the sink.

She made her way out of the room, "Where are you going?" Sam asked.

"Back to bed." She responded.

OoOoOo

A knock on the door shook her awake. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the automatic clock on her nightstand. Thirteen hours had passed since she had fallen asleep. Grace felt her stomach growl.

She turned the light on and muttered just loudly enough, "Come in."

Bobby walked in sheepishly, holding a plate of food with foil over the top. She couldn't help but smile. Bobby had tolerated Grace when she wasn't the easiest person to be around, he had taken care of her. Sometimes it felt like Bobby knew what she needed before she ever did.

He handed the plate to her and a fork. She watched as he moved to sit in a chair older than the both of them combined in the corner of the room. "You know you can say something, I won't bite." Grace attempted to smile.

Bobby nodded slowly, "Yeah, I know," he hesitated anyway, "You okay?"

She shrugged.

"Grace, it's okay not to be okay." Bobby said.

Grace sighed and took the foil of the plate. Fried chicken and mashed potatoes. She looked up, "You made my favorite?"

Bobby smiled, "Why not?"

She took a small bite, but the food didn't taste right. It felt weird that she was here and John wasn't. It was strange that Dean wouldn't even look at her. She felt everything at once. Grace set the plate down and looked away. Her face felt hot and her throat was tight.

"I don't know what to do." Grace whispered, her voice cracking.

Bobby wanted to move over to her, but decided not to. He knew her well enough to know when she needed some space. He let out a breath and gave the best advice he could.

"It won't be this way forever."

But Grace didn't feel that way. She was unable to comprehend how to live in a world without John. She had always looked at him as her savior. The tears felt hot against her skin.

"Thank you for dinner. But I think I need to be alone." Grace murmured. She set the plate on the nightstand beside her. She got back under the covers and faced away from Bobby.

He cleared his throat, "You know once Sam cracks John's voicemail, they'll be heading out. Maybe you should go?" And with that he closed the door.

She stifled a sob because at that point she didn't think it was even a possibility.

OoOoOo

By day three, not much had changed. Dean was still not speaking to her, Sam was continuing his quest to listen to John's voicemail, and Bobby remained watchful at a distance. Grace had lost six pounds. She was trying so hard but it seemed moot.

With a sigh she stared at herself in the mirror. She imagined John telling her to get it together. She splashed some water on her face, patted it dry and strategically placed concealer under her eyes.

Grace opened her bedroom door and gasped. Sam was just about to knock. "You scared me." Grace muttered. Funny, considering the monsters she had faced and situations she had been put in.

Sam apologetically smiled, "Sorry, just have news."

Grace glanced down and saw John's cellphone in his hand. "You got it?" Grace felt a surge of excitement.

Sam nodded, "Yeah, a woman left a message for Dad a little while back. Ellen something?"

"Ellen Harvelle?" Grace perked up.

Sam studied Grace, "How'd you know?"

"I know her. She and John were friends. She has a daughter close to my age." Grace explained.

Sam felt a sense of renewal, "Well we're going to see her."

Grace nodded, "Good luck." She had decided to take a step back from hunting with Sam and Dean, at least for now. When you hunted with someone you needed to have complete trust in that person. And there was too much unknown between her and Dean for either of them to feel truly comfortable. She didn't believe that Dean would let something bad happen to her or anything like that. It would just be different. And Grace wasn't ready for any more changes.

"You aren't coming?" Sam said, concerned.

Grace shook her head, "I think it's best I hang back with Bobby. I need more time"

"And Dean has nothing to do with this?" Sam questioned.

Grace looked away, "He will barely look at me, let alone talk to me. We wouldn't make the best team."

"Yeah we've noticed." Sam muttered, referring to himself and Bobby

"You two go. Be safe and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Grace tried to sound upbeat and positive.

Sam tried to smile

Grace gently touched Sam's should, "Be careful. Call if you need anything."

Just then Dean's voice carried down the hall, "Ready Sam? We should head out soon."

Sam looked down the hall, "Yeah, let's go," he turned, "Bye Grace." Grace bit her lip and hugged Sam. She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. When someone left for a hunt, there was always uneasiness. Would they come back? Was this the last time you'd see them?

She followed Sam and paused by her doorway. She stopped and was surprised to see Dean standing there, staring at her. She felt her cheeks warm. Dean clenched his jaw. She had no idea why he was acting this way towards her, but that didn't change the fact that she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. She wanted to hug him or something, but she decided against it. Maybe space would do them good. Dean looked at her little longer and then followed Sam out.

"Be careful." Grace muttered after him.

OoOoOo

"Jesus Grace, it's three in the afternoon." Nora shook Grace out of sleep. Grace rubbed her eyes and glared into the sunlight. Nora moved into her line of vision, her eyes wild with excitement. Grace had been actively ignoring all calls and texts from Nora since John's death. She didn't want anyone trying to make her feel better. And Nora had an insatiable urge to help others, even when they didn't want it.

Grace grumbled, "What are you doing here?"

"Well since you're ignoring my calls, and my texts…and my emails, I decided to call Bobby."

Grace groaned.

Nora chuckled, "Yeah, so now I'm here. The boys are gone?"

"Visiting Ellen Harvelle." Grace murmured.

Nora laughed out loud, "Good luck with that one."

Grace cracked a smile.

Nora pulled back Grace's covers, "Now come on. You need to shower and eat. We're getting you out of this funk."

Grace bit back, "It's not a funk. I'm mourning." She appreciated Nora, really, but what she was feeling now felt unlike anything she had before.

"Well it's not good for you. And I have an idea to help." Nora smiled. She gave up trying to take off Grace's covers and hopped on the bed. Grace rolled over and stared at her best friend.

Grace took a deep breath, "How was Vegas?"

Nora rolled her eyes, "Fine. I guess. Don't try and distract me. You got into a horrible car accident and didn't even call. You owe me."

Grace nodded slowly, "It was kind of hectic you know," she paused, "How's the new wife?"

This is what they did sometimes, avoided the hard conversations. Grace knew eventually she would have to explain everything in full.

"Ah she's a bitch, but he seems happy." Nora murmured.

Grace let out a heavy sigh and rolled onto her side, "Okay, what's your idea?"

Nora grinned, "Vegas baby."

Grace stared, completely deadpan, "Vegas? You just got back."

"It's Vegas!"

"Uh…why?"

"Alcohol. Gambling. Fun." Nora explained.

Grace shook her head, "Whose the boy?"

Nora huffed, "How did you know?"

Grace raised an eyebrow.

"Fine. His name is Chase. He's a hunter from New York. He's been following a case in Vegas and he asked if I could come and help." Nora explained briefly.

Grace paused, "I want to wait until Sam and Dean get back. It shouldn't be much longer."

Nora hesitated, "Are you sure? Because Chase is calling my name."

Grace nodded even though she really didn't have any idea.

Nora sighed, "Well then I will just stay here until they get back."

OoOoOo

Grace and Nora sat at the kitchen table as the heat washed over them. Another hot day that caused them to sit in sweat. Nora threw down a card and Grace let out a disappointing noise. She took a sip of her water and pulled a card from the deck. Grace and Nora had spent the last four days playing cards, talking, sleeping, but no tears. And she wouldn't admit it, but Grace was feeling, not exactly better, but not as bad. Nora was good for her.

She wasn't even hurt that Sam and Dean had gotten back yesterday, neither of them saying a word to her. She had assumed they hadn't found what they were looking for. Grace half expected a phone call from Ellen; however once it didn't come she got over it.

"So what are we waiting for?" Nora asked, wiping her forehead.

Grace shrugged, "I'm not sure."

Before Nora could respond, Sam rushed in angrily. The screen door slammed behind him. Since they had gotten back Dean had been working on the Impala and today Sam decided to try and talk to him. Grace assumed it didn't go well.

"Sam? Is he okay?" Grace asked. Sam stopped in his tracks.

He was shaky and his eyes were watery, "No, he's not." She could tell he was angry and deeply sad. Nora pushed out a chair.

"Take a seat."

Grace looked past him and stood, "I'll go talk to him."

Nora seemed impressed, "Really?"

Sam shrugged, "Good luck."

Grace walked out into the hot sun, past the beaten down cars and stood behind a rusty Cadillac. She saw Dean dressed in his grey t-shirt and jeans. He was sweating and panting as he smashed the Impala with an iron crowbar. He let out more emotion than Grace had seen from him in a long time. He continued to furiously smash the hood of his car. She wrapped her arms around herself as she watched.

Dean threw the crowbar and leant on the smashed hood of the car. His back shook and she couldn't tell if it was because he was crying. She took a breath and walked towards him. It had been too long since they talked and it didn't feel like now was the right time to try, but she couldn't just stand there.

"Damn it Grace, not now." Dean barked before she even had a chance to say anything.

"What, you're gonna push me away too?" Grace asked defiantly.

Dean lowered his head, "I don't need anyone babying me. I'm fine."

Grace scoffed, "Yeah, clearly."

Dean remained silent.

"Destroying the Impala and pushing me and Sam away isn't going to fix things." She snapped. Dean turned around, his face reddened from anger and exhaustion. He shook his head and turned back to the Impala.

Grace felt something inside her snap. "You've been ignoring me ever since the night John died. You were the one who wanted to stay with me. I did nothing wrong, except be there for you." She didn't realize how much her voice had started to raise. She hadn't realized she was going to talk to him about this. Her intentions were to make sure he was alright, not further cause problems.

"No one asked you to be." Dean said almost inaudibly.

"I wanted to be!" Grace raised her voice.

There was nothing else said. Dean stared at her, stopping himself from doing something he might regret. Since when did he care so much about her? He hated it. It was just one more responsibility, one more person who could be taken away. Anyone who got close to Dean seemed to be hurt in some way and he didn't want that for her.

"There isn't anything between us."

"You know I want to believe you, but the last time we were alone you told me to stay with you, you kissed me. That was you, not me. Then after that you treated me like crap." Grace felt the humiliation resurface, but there was a surge of confidence in her that she didn't know she possessed.

Dean's chest ached.

"What, you've got nothing to say?" Grace pushed.

"What do you want me to say?" Dean felt his exhaustion creeping up.

"The truth would be a good start."

Dean shook his head and smirked, "The truth? Okay…okay." Dean walked towards, grabbed her and kissed her. She didn't have time to think. She could only feel him. His tongue slipped over hers and she felt her knees weaken. She held onto him for support. She softly moaned into his mouth. Dean softly bit her lip and pulled away.

Grace breathed heavily, "Why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted to."

Grace stayed quiet.

"I can't do this with you Gracie."

"Dean…"

"I don't think we can all hunt together anymore." Dean couldn't even look her in the eye. Her fingers had been gripping his biceps, but she backed away as if she had been knocked in the chest. How many more ways could he reject her?

"Dean, you're…" He cut her off.

"We can't."

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "You can't even look at me." Grace whispered.

Dean slowly lifted his eyes to her. She was angrier than anything else, but she tried to stay calm. Dean clenched his jaw. Everything between them was different and it happened too suddenly for either of them to notice. Grace felt like they were fighting against something that they had no control over.

He reached out to her but she pulled back.

"Gracie…"

"You think I want any of this? You think I'm handling all these things well on my own? I miss John too. And you…" Grace trailed off.

Dean berated himself internally. She needed someone too and he wanted to be it. But he knew better. "This, whatever is happening, it just can't. It won't." Dean spoke with conviction, yet sounded pained.

Grace nodded slowly, "Alright. Goodbye Dean."

She turned without another word and left him standing alone.

She swore to herself that whatever she felt towards him was finished.

 **I've changed around certain aspects/dialogue of the chapter for it to flow. I've gone back to some of the other chapters as well just to fix some errors I caught. But, now onto the next chapter! Thank you**


	12. Chapter 11

"Okay the rules for this week, repeat them for me." Nora glanced over at Grace. They were laying poolside soaking up the sun's rays. Implanted palm trees adorned the patio. Drunken college kids were goofing off in the pool. Alcohol flowed freely. It felt like a television show. Grace was a world away from hunting, and she had the suntan to prove it. It had been a little over a week.

When Nora told Bobby they were going to Vegas, all he said was "good". They all knew he was desperate for Grace to return to normal. Grace had pushed down John's death, Dean's stinging rejection, and anything else that had gone wrong in her life. She was effectively numb and keeping a small buzz from the alcohol.

Grace took a sip of a long island ice tea, ordered by Nora. "One, no hunting. Two, no Winchesters. Three, specifically no Dean Winchester. And rule number four is have fun." Grace repeated obediently, a smile plastered on her face neatly adorned with makeup.

Nora seemed pensive then said, "And maybe rule 5 should be to swipe your V-card?"

Grace laughed, "Oh why not?"

Nora squealed. Grace rolled her eyes, "And how is losing my virginity supposed to help me feel better?" Two guys, both shirtless and incredibly buff stopped in the middle of their step to look at Grace.

Nora tilted her sunglasses down, "No, no not you. Keep moving."

Grace smiled.

"It's not supposed to make you feel better. It's supposed to be fun and relax you." Nora explained like Grace was completely missing the point.

"Is that what he told you?" Grace laughed. Nora swatted her arm and her cheeks flushed.

"Shut up."

Grace took a drink and closed her eyes, the warmth of the sun spreading over her.

Maybe Nora was right after all.

OoOoOo

Grace sat on the sink in the bathroom of their hotel. Nora had of course used a fake credit card to rent out a ridiculously large and expensive suite for just the two of them. Not to mention the clothes, food, alcohol, and gambling. Yeah, the credit card schemes were proving to be more and more resourceful.

Grace left one leg to dangle as she listened to her cellphone ring. While there was a rule that stated no Winchesters, if Nora didn't know it wouldn't hurt her. After Grace had hastily packed up two suitcases and left Bobby's, Sam had called her. He apologized on behalf of Dean and told her to keep in touch. Grace did not realize at the time how sweet and much needed that offer was.

"Grace, hey how are you?" Sam picked up, his voice nearly a whisper.

Grace smiled at hearing a familiar voice, "I'm good. Hiding in the bathroom from Nora. How are you?"

Sam laughed, "I'm, you know, getting through it. How is Nora doing?"

"Good. I swear she never slows down."

Silence settled between them as the topic they were not supposed to discuss became a reality. Grace finally said, "How is he?"

Sam sighed, "You aren't going to tell me what happened between the two of you are you?"

Grace flushed, "I don't think so Sam."

He cleared his throat, "Well, we actually are in Montana. Ran into another hunter. Gotta be honest, I'm a little worried about Dean. He killed a vampire tonight and it was…gruesome."

Grace's stomach tightened. Dean was not okay. "Are you at a motel or what?" Grace asked.

"At a bar actually. I left the table when I saw you were calling." Sam told her.

"Whose the other hunter?" Grace asked as her curiosity piqued.

"His name's Gordon. You ever heard of him?" Sam asked.

Grace let out a breath, "Sam, he's bad news."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He's takes hunting beyond extreme and he's violent."

"Yeah, I figured. Listen Grace, I want to see you again. I know Dean does too."

Grace sighed. She heard the door to the room slam shut and she hopped off the counter, "I'll talk to you soon Sam. And really, ditch Gordon." Grace ended the call and went to greet Nora.

OoOoOo

Grace laid on her belly on the gigantic king sized bed. Nora was trying on more outfits for tonight. So far she had tried on a silky mini dress, a gold beaded halter dress, and some type of pantsuit. Grace clucked her tongue.

"You don't like it?" Nora asked defeated.

Grace shrugged, "What's this for exactly?"

"We're going out with Chase." Nora didn't look at Grace as she spoke.

Grace cocked her head to the side, "What are we doing with Chase that requires us to dress like this?"

"He's been hunting. And whatever it is hangs out at this club. We have to look the part, so uh take your pick." Nora motioned to the countless outfits that were strewn across the room.

"Are we going to see your uncle at all?" Grace muttered while she began to sift through the expensive materials.

Nora scoffed, "Please Uncle Bradford and the missus have hit the road."

"Where to?"

"Who knows? I don't think about it." Nora twirled in front of the mirror and flashed herself a smile.

Grace felt her mind drift off to Dean and Sam. She hoped they would be okay.

OoOoOo

Chase looked between a lumberjack and a tattoo artist. He had full sleeves of black ink and symbols Grace had never seen before. He had a bushy brown beard and a full head of slicked back hair. Nora immediately latched onto him, her smile reaching her eyes. Chase put his arms around Nora and kissed her forehead. Both of them looked completely smitten, but Grace wasn't sure.

"Chase, this is Grace." Nora introduced them.

Chase smiled, "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you."

They were in some club that was barely lit with flashing neon lights illuminating the building. Everyone seemed to be drunk or high, it didn't seem like anyone was picky. Chase handed Nora a cocktail. He tried to offer Grace one but she refused. If they were helping on the hunt, which in fact did break one of Nora's rules, Grace wanted to be alert.

"Well Chase, why don't you fill us in?" Grace asked casually.

Nora took a sip, "Maybe we could chat a little longer?"

Grace shrugged, "Or we could wait until after we leave and we can actually hear each other?"

Chase chuckled, "Alright, well I've been hunting. I got a call about two weeks ago about bodies popping up. They were all missing organs; summoning rituals were done at the scene the bodies were found. And they're all women who were last seen at this club."

"How old?" Grace asked.

"Nineteen through about twenty-four." Nora answered.

"And what's doing this?" Grace asked.

"My best idea is witches." Chase responded.

Grace nodded. She hated dealing with witches. Magic just gave them an advantage.

"Well let's get started." Grace grabbed the drink Chase was still holding just to keep up appearances.

OoOoOo

She knew he wasn't human the moment she saw him. She couldn't exactly explain why or what he was, but she was going to find out. It was a perfect setting. Nora was dancing with Chase; the room was dark except for the multicolored strobe lights. Grace had watched him watch the others. She suddenly felt an urge to take on this hunt.

With Nora distracted, Grace moved towards the man. He was older, his hair a silvery grey with dark streaks. He looked like he had money; maybe he was a lawyer or a stockbroker or something. But there was something distinctly off about him.

Grace approached him confidently. His eyes met hers and he smiled. Grace raised her eyebrow, but returned the grin. She stopped in front of him, almost touching him. He towered over her, but she didn't let that shake her.

"Want to dance?" Grace asked.

The man didn't answer verbally; instead he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. Normally, that would've shaken her, but she didn't care in this moment. He was muscular, definitely in shape. He smelt like whiskey and cologne. It didn't make her feel comforted or attracted to him in any sense of the word.

It felt like they were dancing in slow motion. His face was shadowed unless one of the strobe lights hit his face. Grace kept her eyes closed and let herself forget where she was. She knew if he were going to do anything he wouldn't do it in a crowded room like this. She ignored the way his fingertips grasped his waist or how he put his lips on her neck.

"Let's get out of here." The man murmured against her ear.

Grace raised an eyebrow at him but nodded nonetheless. There was a plan floating around in her mind, nothing set in stone. Even though she was in a skimpy black dress, she had a blade attached to her upper thigh. They headed towards a back exit bypassing everyone who crossed their path. Grace glanced back and saw that Nora was still dancing and laughing.

Once they got outside he led Grace down the alley. She almost laughed at how typical this was. How many cases had she worked where the girl gets attacked in the alley outside a club? Countless. And she was walking into it.

"What's your name?" Grace asked.

"Lucas." He responded.

Grace wasn't going to share her name, but she was amused he didn't even ask. Lucas turned towards Grace and tilted her head up to force eye contact. He advanced until her back was pressed against the cool brick wall. In her head she was telling herself to get ready, yet she didn't move to. He pushed her air behind her ears and ran his finger over her lower lip. His finger trailed down her chin and neck, then down between her breasts.

"You want me?" Lucas asked.

Grace said nothing.

"You know for a hunter…you are very stupid." A grin formed as he spoke.

"Yeah, maybe." Grace whispered. The urge to fight barely ignited her to move. She reached for the blade and stabbed him in the thigh with such speed and dexterity he didn't have time to stop her. He yelled out and slapped Grace across the face. The pain stung and spread across her skin. He pulled out the blade and tossed it aside far out of her reach.

Grace licked her lip and tasted blood. She kneed him in the stomach and threw a punch. She heard a bone crack and she couldn't tell if it was from her or him. Lucas threw back his head and laughed. His eyes turned black as he picked Grace up by her upper arms and slammed her into the wall. Her ears rang as her head collided with the brick. She dropped to her knees and began to violently cough.

"Grace Bradley. John Winchester's protégé out and alone, throwing herself at a demon. How lucky am I?" Lucas kicked her in the ribs while she was down. The searing pain blinded her. She was sure that her not nearly healed ribs were cracked once again.

"Nothing to say? That's okay!" He kicked her again and knelt down so he was eye level with her. He was about to say something but the door to the alley opened. He shot his head back and a cloud of black smoke exited his body.

Nora came running once she saw Grace. "Grace, Grace are you okay! Oh my god, what happened, are you okay?" Nora knelt in front of her, inspecting her face. Nora looked down at the body beside them. He was dead. The demon had just used the body and now it was a corpse.

"Demon." Grace whispered.

Nora let out a shaky breath; "You're bleeding."

Grace nodded, "I could've taken him."

Nora laughed, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Then why didn't you?" Nora asked, concern seeping into her voice. Grace tried to get to her feet but it hurt too much. Nora helped her stand. Grace felt like she had been hit by a truck. Her left eye was swelling and throbbing.

She began to walk away from Nora and Lucas's body, back to the hotel. She needed to shower and give herself a onceover. The pain from her newly healed broken ribs seared through her. Thoughts of a broken rib again came into her thoughts. She still had some leftover pain meds that might be helpful.

"Grace I'm talking to you." Nora shouted.

Grace shook her thoughts and stopped.

"Are you gonna help me get rid of the body?" Nora asked almost helplessly.

Just then the door to the alleyway swung open. A focused Chase came running out, gun drawn. He lowered his weapon when he saw Nora and Grace. His face registered Grace's injuries, but he moved in to be near Nora. He looked down at Lucas' body and frowned.

"What happened?" Chase asked.

"A demon." Nora whispered.

"I'm sure Chase can help." Grace muttered as she turned away. She could have fought harder, sure. But she didn't. Her brain was still processing why that was. She wanted to feel something besides anguish and emotional distress. The physical pain was a better substitute.

Nora couldn't take her eyes of Grace's retreating figure.

Maybe this was something she couldn't fix?

OoOoOo

The drive was silent amongst Sam and Dean. They both had thoughts about their next destination. Sam stared down at his father's dog tags. He ran his thumb over his father's name. They were going to bury them at their mother's gravesite. After everything that had happened with Gordon this seemed like something that would help bring some peace to the both of them.

Sam looked out the window. He cleared his throat, "We should tell Grace. She can meet us there. You know she'd want to be here."

Dean did not like the way he felt hearing Grace's name. He sighed, "Yeah, you're right." Whatever was happening or wasn't happening between Grace didn't seem important enough to keep her from this.

Sam pulled out his phone and dialed her number. He waited, mentally urging her to pick up. She didn't. Sam cursed under his breath.

"Don't sweat it man. She'll call back." Dean tried to cheer up Sam.

"Yeah, maybe."

OoOoOo

The light from the sunrise shone brightly off the hood of her beat down, rusted truck. Grace's hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, her face still throbbing. She knew for sure her rib had to be broken. She used an ACE wrap and painkillers with hope that the pain would ease. Instead of running back to Bobby's she had a new destination in mind.

Leaving Vegas so abruptly hadn't been part of the plan at all. It was just the way Nora looked at her. Grace had never seen her look so dejected. She was causing more trouble than she wanted to. She had written a brief note thanking Nora for the week and telling her not to worry. Then she was out on the road. Grace had left all the clothes and exotic jewelry Nora had splurged on. While the week did help in some way, it wasn't the answer.

Her phone vibrated against her thigh. She prayed it wasn't Sam again. She wanted to answer, just in case. However she chose not to. If something were really wrong she would have gotten more than one phone call. Texts and calls would be pouring in. This time when Grace looked at the caller ID she saw Bobby's name flashing but she ended the call before even picking up. She was going to go straight to Bobby's as soon as she took care of things. She shook her head as she saw the welcome sign to Rapid City, South Dakota. After almost fifteen hours of driving she knew she needed to sleep, but it had to wait. She had not been back to this place since she was a kid. There had been no reason to return. But, just driving down the road Grace couldn't believe how familiar this all felt. She had been so young however the memories that were coming back to her seemed like she had spent a lifetime here. It was hard to believe that this was the second largest city in South Dakota. To her it had always seemed so small.

She was on the outskirts of town, but there was a section of houses that Grace knew all too well. She switched on her blinker and turned into the unit of homes. The houses were older, but each looked similar. All of them looked like they had been built in the 1970's and each one needed repairs. She pulled off to the side of the road and stared up at her old house.

The house was two stories, white paneling with a dark brown roof. The windows had freshly painted sky blue frames. The mailbox was shaped like a duck and had the last name "Weiss" on it. The yard was a little overgrown, but there were two garden gnomes playing leap frog right up by the entrance to the house. Grace took a breath and was about to drive away to her real destination when someone tapped on her window.

An older man with thin wire framed glasses smiled at her. Grace cranked the window down and returned his grin. "Hello." Grace smiled. She realized that she looked completely battered. She knew her eye was still half shut, scabbing and there was a bulging cut on her lip.

Despite this the man smiled, "Why hello there. Just wondering if you need some assistance?" The man seemed genuine enough.

Grace shook her head, "No I just got lost. Just trying to figure out where I am."

The man nodded, "Where you headed?"

Grace hesitated then said, "Lou's Safety and Storage."

Realization dawned on the man and he chuckled, "Well you gotta turn left outta here and follow the road straight until you get to Beecher and then take a right. You'll see their sign, it's kinda flashy."

Grace chuckled in knowing, "Well thank you."

The man rocked to his left side and said, "I've lived here for a long time, right in that house," he paused to point at the house neighboring Grace's old home. "Anyway, I can't help but comment and I know I may be out of line, but if you're in any trouble I can call the police."

Grace let out a breath, "I'm okay."

He frowned, "The folks who lived in that house before the Weiss' moved in…they had a little girl who kinda reminds me of you, dark hair and such."

Grace's stomach felt sick, "What happened to her?"

The man shrugged, "I never knew. Her parents died, it was pretty grisly. No one has lived in the house till now. You don't see a lot of people parked out front here. We all keep our distance since it's got such a history in the neighborhood."

Grace nodded as she turned the key in the ignition, "Well thanks a lot for your help."

The man stepped out of the way and let Grace drive off.

Grace couldn't even wipe her eyes as she sped away.

OoOoOo

John Winchester had moved certain things out of the Bradley household the night after her parent's death. Grace had never known about this until Bobby told her when she was about ten. He had said if Grace ever wanted to go look and see what was there then he would take her. But, she never wanted to. As she got older she avoided it even more. She didn't want to see. What difference would it make? But now it suddenly felt like it was going to help her in some way.

She stood with her arms crossed as she stared at the three cement walls. There were some random boxes filled with things Grace was not quite ready to look at just yet. The old kitchen table that Grace used to color on was still there, however it did not look nearly updated as Grace remembered. Some chairs to the table, a rocking chair, and two oak dressers adorned the area. Grace had not expected all this. Further more she couldn't imagine John moving everything here.

When she stepped closer to her old belongings Grace felt completely numb. Her fingers traced the edges of the old cardboard. She abruptly stopped when she noticed a white corner of an envelope sticking out from the top. Her name was written on the top in John's handwriting. Surprise and anxiety washed over her as her shaky fingers opened the envelope.

 _Grace,_

 _I'm glad you are here with all of the belongings from your childhood home. I'm writing this letter when you are seventeen. At this point if you haven't come out here, I figure it might be awhile before you do. I stop by here from time to time. I want to find out what happened to your family even though I think you aren't ready yet. Anyways, I hope by now we are together and hunting as a family. Because we are a family. If you are here, I think you are trying to find the answers. I remember that night Grace. Try to find the answers you are searching for. Come to me if you ever have questions._

 _John_

Grace hadn't realized how much her hands were shaking. Chills had gone down her spine. She had read the letter written in John's script with his voice echoing in her mind. She imagined him scribbling down his thoughts onto the paper and signing the envelope with her name. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. It was like all the pain she felt had began to numb her and her tears had dried up.

She cleared her throat and picked up the box. With a clear head she walked over to her truck and began to load some of the boxes. She may have driven all the way here, but she wasn't sure what she was going to uncover. But at least now she would have everything there waiting for her.

OoOoOo

 **I went back and read over the chapters to this story. I changed some small details and fixed any errors that I found. I hope some of you are still out there reading! I'm going to post when I get the chance. I'm also really excited about the next few chapters Reviews and comments are welcome!**

 **Quick side note: I know I didn't spend a whole lot of time in Vegas or really introducing Chase, but there's more to come with that!**


	13. Chapter 12

The boxes from the Bradley home sat in a hallway closet of Bobby's house. Grace had decided that she would open them whenever she got a second wind of whatever it was that influenced her to even go back to Rapid City in the first place. It was early November now. Two months had passed. And now Grace sat curled up on the front porch of the junkyard as the sun came up.

Bobby had been furious when she had showed up, but softened as soon as he had seen her. He took the boxes she had put in the bed of the truck and stuck them away. He asked no questions about Vegas, Nora, or Grace's venture back to her hometown. He was back to typical Bobby and she was pretending to be back to normal as well. No words had been exchanged between her and Nora and at this point in time Grace wanted it that way. She felt something close to embarrassment about the whole situation. But Grace was coming to terms with her own baggage. Since John died it seemed that everything had shifted. As thoughts about John wandered into her mind, it was only natural that thoughts of Sam and Dean soon followed. Sam had texted her about being in Philadelphia with Jo Harvelle and Dean working a case, which surprised her. Then the last she had heard they were in Mississippi dealing with a crossroads demon. Sam mentioned wanting to call and talk to her about something important, but hoped that they could do it face to face instead. But, she had not heard from him since.

Grace took a sip of her coffee and flipped through the paper. The ads and columns were littered with people asking for help, items for sale, babysitters wanted. She was searching for a hunt. It had been long enough. Grace thought it had been so long that she was going to lose her skills. Bobby hadn't even mentioned hunting or the Winchesters since she had been home. In truth, she did not feel the flare when she used to search for a hunt, but it was all she knew and it might make her feel better to be productive instead of sitting around all day.

"Bingo." Grace murmured.

She found an article about the fourth murder in a small town in southern Washington. Each victim was male, in their thirties, with no sign of forced entry and all the blood drained from their bodies. However, there were no wounds on the body. Grace closed the paper and stood. She stretched and felt the air fill her lungs.

Bobby came out and looked straight ahead, "Morning Grace."

"Hey Bobby," she looked at him, "I'm heading out."

She squeezed his shoulder gently as she brushed past him.

Bobby nodded, "Glad to hear it."

OoOoOo

Grace had been driving for far too long. She had to take an alternative route to get through this town in Washington. Now she was cutting through Oregon. This was far from the original plan but there was construction and detours that led her this way. She was not in any rush though so it didn't matter. Grace was on a road surrounded by expansive, vibrantly green trees. She was in some town, River Grove. Except the town itself seemed pretty empty. She had been driving around for about twenty minutes trying to find a gas station.

"This is just ridiculous." She murmured.

What happened next occurred so fast that Grace could barely slam on the brakes fast enough. A young man had run out into the street before her. His forehead had an oozing red gash and he was limping. But what really registered with Grace were his eyes. They were dark brown, but wide. There was an erratic, wild look to them that set Grace on high alert. She saw he held a hunting knife in his hand. The man charged her truck.

Grace cursed and slammed her truck in reverse. She swerved around him and sped off. She glanced back in her rearview mirror and saw that the man was still chasing her. Then another person came into view, tackling the guy to the ground. Grace felt the adrenaline rushing. What the hell was that?

When she turned the corner and saw the black Chevy Impala, Grace felt her heart leap in her chest. Since the Winchesters were constantly changing plates she couldn't be sure it was really them, but she pulled off to the side of the road directly behind the car anyway. After putting the car in park and turning the key out of the ignition, she opened her dashboard and grabbed her pistol.

With haste, she moved to the clear glass door directly across from the impala. It was the town's clinic according to the sign. Grace looked around hoping that no more people would come running at her or into the streets. She looked back at the door when she heard the locks click.

Dean Winchester stood before her in a dark black jacket with a grey shirt beneath it. Grace glanced at the necklace that hung from his neck and the amulet that dangled on it. Dean looked at her incredulously as if he could not believe she was standing there. Grace was about to walk in, but Dean kept the door closed.

"Dean? Let me in." Grace demanded.

"I want to Grace, but I need you to tell me something." Dean responded. God, had she really missed his voice this much?

"What?" Grace snapped.

"How long have you been in town?" Dean asked, his tone serious.

Grace wanted to punch him in the face for a brief moment before she responded. "I just got here." She gritted out.

Dean stared at her, observing further.

"Dean Winchester if you don't let me in I swear…" She trailed off. They held eye contact. Grace clenched her jaw. After all this time they were finally seeing each other, and he was acting like an ass as per usual. What had she been expecting though? Dean finally relented and opened the door for her. She barged past him. She had the urge to slap and then hug him.

"What the hell is going on in this town?" Grace turned to him.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked, ignoring her question.

"Yeah it's real nice to see you too," she paused, "I'm headed to Washington. I somehow got redirected here. There was a detour and construction and now I'm here. Why wouldn't you open the door?"

Dean studied her. He wouldn't admit it, but despite the circumstances he was glad to see her. He wondered what she had been up to the last few months. However, the need to honor his father's request had outweighed his desire to call her and find out for himself.

"Well lucky you." Dean muttered.

Grace waited.

Dean cleared his throat, "Right, so uh…Sam had a vision and it led us here. We get here and the town has just gone crazy. We brought in this woman whose family had tied her up and been abusing her."

Grace felt a surge of panic. How in any way, aside from Sam's vision was this supernatural? "These are humans?" Grace asked, almost disbelieving.

"Yes. We're trying to figure it out still." Dean explained.

She was about to respond with even more questions when Sam walked out. He had a serious look on his face that immediately softened when he saw Grace. Grace smiled at him. She was genuinely happy to see Sam. Not that she wasn't with Dean, but in spite of everything, Sam seemed a much more safe bet.

"Grace what are you doing here? Are you okay?" Sam asked hurriedly.

Grace nodded as Sam engulfed her in a bear hug. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around him in return. At least she would get one polite welcome from someone.

"I'm okay Sam, I missed you." She whispered. Dean groaned and Sam moved away a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"While this is a nice reunion, we got a problem." Dean butted in.

Grace nodded, "Right. So what's the theory here?"

Sam went right into his explanation. He told Grace of the word 'Croatoan' carved onto the pole, which was only the beginning of oddities. Sam told her of the vision of Dean having an altercation with a boy in this clinic that would ultimately lead to Dean killing him. Dean crossed his arms. _Thanks for filling me in_ , Grace thought. She was completely filled in and ultimately lost.

"So Mr. Tanner is the husband…and you shot him?" Grace asked for clarification. She noticed how Dean had left that out of his earlier narrative as well.

"That's what happens when you start attacking people." Dean muttered defensively.

Then a blonde woman in a white lab coat walked in. Grace assumed it was the doctor. She seemed flustered, her cheeks flushed with worry. But at least she appeared to be determined.

"Who is this?" Her tone was aggressive and accusatory.

Sam cleared his throat, "She's our partner. We called her this morning when the lines were working, just getting into town. Grace this is Dr. Lee." Sam introduced the two of them. Grace had no idea the phone lines were down. Something was wrong, now it was just up to discover what.

Dr. Lee nodded at Grace and said, "So the phones really aren't working. I was hoping that you had a police radio in your car."

"We do. But it crapped out just like everything else." Sam told her. The lie came from him so smoothly there would be not doubt on anyone's end.

She could not mask the worry in her voice as she responded, "I don't understand what is happening."

Dean stepped forward, "How far is it to the next town?"

Without hesitation Dr. Lee said, "It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder." Grace had driven past it on her way here.

Dean nodded, "All right, I'm gonna go down there, see if I can find some help."

"I'll come too." Grace interjected.

Dean wanted to dispute her suggestion but did not. He had to keep up appearances. "Great. Then my partner will stick around, keep you guys safe." Dean settled his hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Safe from what?"

"We'll get back to you on that." Dean said.

Then he and Grace left the clinic.

OoOoOo  
Being back in the impala brought Grace a sense of enjoyment she would not admit to. It also made her feel inexplicably gloomy. She had wondered what it would be like seeing Dean again and this was not how she had imagined it at all. She expected something…different. Perhaps if they weren't in the middle of a life and death situation it would have been different. Even though the circumstances were not what she had in mind she was glad to see Dean was at least acting like himself.

They drove along the road passing empty shops and streets. Abandoned cars were off to the side of the road. But no people roamed the streets. Grace didn't know whether to be relieved or worried.

Dean looked over at Grace. She looked different to him even though it was still the same Grace. She was definitely skinnier and a new scar right was right above her eye. He wondered where it came from. He had expected yelling or for her to be standoffish. But their reuniting reminded him more of when they had first met. Dean did not know if he liked it.

"So uh, what have you been up to the last few months?" Dean asked.

"Nothing really." Grace didn't make eye contact. She kept her voice steady.

"Oh yeah, us either." Dean responded. He chastised himself for how awkward he was coming across. This was worse than just sitting in silence. Grace gave a polite smile and kept alert.

"It's a weird coincidence, you being here huh?" Dean tried again.

"Yeah, guess it is." Grace muttered.

Dean felt the urge to talk with her like they had before. The conversation used to flow between them smoothly. But he was the one who told her it was not going to work between them, whatever it was. She was better off. And if this was how it had to be then that was that. Even though Dean knew all this he couldn't stop the pit in his stomach.

Grace stiffened, "Up ahead. It wasn't like this when I drove in."

There was a bridge out of the town that was being blocked off by multiple cars and people. Grace assumed they were all the townspeople. Each one of them held a gun. At that moment they were not aiming at Grace and Dean.

Dean looked at Grace, "That woman who we brought in, you see the kid with the brown hair? Kinda spiky? That's her son. Well one of 'em."

Grace was about to respond when something banged onto the roof of the car. A man leant down until he was visible by both Dean and Grace. He smiled at the both of them but it was not genuine.

"Oh-ho-ho. Hey." Dean greeted him.

"Sorry. Road's closed." The man responded. His eyes scanned Grace. She was glad she had put her pistol right beside her. It was not in the man's line of vision, but she was ready just in case.

"Yeah, I can see that. What's up?" Dean asked.

"Quarantine."

"What is it for?" Grace asked.

"Don't know. Something going around out there." The man had returned his focus back to Dean.

"Uh-huh. Who told you that?" Dean questioned.

"County Sheriff."

"Is he here?" Dean asked.

"No. He called. Say, why don't you get out of the car and we'll talk a little?" The man tried to sound normal, but something was off with his voice. Grace knew he was infected with whatever was spreading in the town. She tensed, as she knew that an altercation was more than likely to break out.

Dean chuckled nervously, "Well, you are a handsome devil, but I don't swing that way, sorry."

"I'd sure appreciate it if you got out of the car, just for a quick minute." The man pressed, frustration lacing his words.

Dean bit his lip and gave him a cheeky grin. He glanced at Grace and she nodded knowing what he would do next. She put her hand on the car door to hold on for stability. Dean looked up at the man, "Yeah, I'll bet you would."

When Dean slammed the car in reverse, the man grabbed Dean's collar. He held on as the car moved, his feet beginning to drag. Grace ducked down as the townspeople began to fire at the car. Dean spun the car and accelerated as fast as the Impala could go. The man dropped off as soon as speed began to pick up. Adrenaline raced through Grace, the familiar rush sending her on high alert.

Dean looked back behind them and accelerated a little bit more. Once he was sure no one was following them he gave off the gas a little bit. Grace relaxed and let out a breath. She couldn't help but smile. It almost made her feel crazy but she looked out the window relishing the fact that they had escaped successfully, at least this time. Dean glanced at her and saw her smile. It made his chest hurt. Now that he had held her, kissed her, it was strange to not be able to reach out to her again. It was a feeling he had not expected.

"Never a dull moment." Dean said.

"Yeah, good driving there." Grace offered him a small smile that he returned.

They drove a few minutes in silence closer to town. What would they report to Sam? There was no way out of town, still no cell service. And they had no idea what was happening to these people. They had both been hoping for something more fruitful to come from their exploration.

Dean hitting the brakes jerked her from her thoughts. A man holding a rifle stood before them. He had it aimed at the two of them. Grace immediately noticed that instead of seeming angry and erratic, the man looked concerned and trying to survive. Dean put the car into park.

"Hands where I can see 'em!" The man yelled.

"Fuck." Grace muttered. She lifted her hands and Dean followed suit.

"Get out of the car!" He shouted again.

They both opened the doors slowly and making sure to move cautiously. Neither of them were up for getting shot in the street of some crap town in Oregon. "Alright, easy there. You know you're outnumbered right?" Dean stood. Simultaneously he and Grace pulled out their guns and pointed them at the man.

"Put it down!" Grace commanded.

"Lower it now!" The man responded.

Dean cocked his gun, "Put it down!"

"Are you one of them?" The man asked desperately.

"No! Are you?" Dean tried.

"No!" The man retorted.

"You could be lying!" Dean was not going to let anything happen to him. Or Grace. Grace on the other hand could tell the man was telling the truth. Grace lowered her gun and held up one of her hands.

"So could you!" The man wasn't going to concede.

"Okay, we could do this all day. We don't want to hurt you. Let's take it easy." Grace spoke calmly. The man relaxed slightly. He seemed relieved to meet two other people who were not infected.

"What's going on with everybody?" He asked.

"We're not sure." Dean said.

"My neighbor . . . Mr. Rogers, he —" The man began to explain.

"You've got a neighbor named Mr. Rogers?" Dean asked incredulously. Grace rolled her eyes. Same old Dean.

"Not anymore. He came at me with a hatchet. I put him down. He's not the only one, I mean, it's happening to everyone." The man told them.

"Well we're heading over to the Doc's place, there's still some people left." Dean was extending an invitation to him.

"No, no way. I'm getting the hell out." The man stuttered.

"There's no way out, they got the bridge covered, come on. It's your only option." Grace offered.

He shook his head, "I don't believe you."

Dean shrugged, "Fine, stay here, be my guest."

Grace watched as the man hesitated and then he came forward. He kept his handgun drawn, but he was not aiming it at anyone. Dean climbed back into the car. "Well, this ought to be a relaxing drive." Dean muttered.

"Just go." Grace sighed

OoOoOo  
As soon as they got back to the clinic Sam was ready to unlock the doors and let them in. He did a quick onceover and made note of the man who had joined them. Grace felt better being back in the clinic. At least it was safer there than out in the town.

"Did you guys get to a phone?" Sam asked, hopeful.

"Roadblock on the bridge stopped us from getting out of town." Grace explained to him.

Dean turned towards the stranger and said, "The doctor is inside. I'm gonna have a word."

"What's going on out there?" Sam asked as soon as the three of them were alone.

"Man, I don't know, I feel like Chuck Heston in the Omega Man, I mean, Sarge is the only sane person we could find. What are we dealing with, do you know?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah. Doc thinks it's a virus."

"What do you mean? What kind of virus?" Grace asked.

"You guys aren't going to like it, but uh, the virus spreads via blood to blood contact. But here's the thing. It leaves traces of sulfur in the blood." Sam eagerly explained to them. Grace almost couldn't believe what she was hearing and she would bet money that Bobby had never heard of such a thing either.

"A demonic virus?" Dean asked not quite grasping it.

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare. At least it explains why I've been having visions." Sam said.

Grace felt completely and utterly screwed and confused. She knew it wasn't the time, but she wanted to ask about Sam's visions and if anything new had come from them.

Instead, she asked, "What do we do?"

Sam cleared his throat, "Right, well I've been looking through Dad's journal, found something about the Roanoke colony." At the mention of John, Grace's ears perked up. She hadn't heard him mentioned in a conversation in so long. He had only remained in her thoughts.

"What did it say?" Grace asked.

"Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Deva or sometimes Resheph. A demon of plague and pestilence." Sam's voice was tinted with pride.

"Well, that, that's terrific. Why here, why now?" Dean persisted.

"I have no idea. But, who knows how far this thing can spread? We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people." Sam was getting ahead of himself. Grace was about to add something but they heard someone yelling.

"They've got one! In here!"

The three of them rushed further into the clinic. Grace had no idea who was back there or what to expect. She knew bare minimum about the situation.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"The wife. She's infected." Sam told them.

"We've gotta take care of this. We can't just leave her in there. My neighbors, they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get." The man that Dean and Grace had picked up explained. Dean barely hesitated before he pulled out his gun and began to move into the lab.

Grace gasped, "Dean? What are you doing?"

There was another woman in the room. Grace assumed she was the nurse. But her name was Pam. She didn't even acknowledge Grace. "You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?" Was all she could say.

Dr. Lee bit her fingernails as Sam asked, "Could there be a treatment? A cure?" When she didn't have a direct answer Dean angrily pushed further, "Can you cure Dr. Lee outburst, "For God's sake, I don't even know what 'it' is!"

"Just leave her in there, you can't shoot her like an animal!" Pam insisted.

Sam and Dean shared a look. Grace felt like she had been drug into this situation unwillingly but she could not just leave now. Where would she go? She followed them to the utility room, where Beverly was apparently being held. Dean and the stranger held their guns ready. Grace didn't know what was happening, but she watched as Sam carefully opened the door.

Beverly Turner was huddled on the floor in the corner away from them. Aside from the wild panic in her eyes she looked exactly like the average housewife. There was nothing that really stood out about her. Her body shook with fear as she stared up at all of them.

She began to cry, "Mark, what are you doing? Mark, it's, it's them! They locked me in here, they, they tried to kill me! They're infected, not me! Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!" So the guy they had picked up was Mark and the townspeople knew him.

Grace, whose hand was on her gun, asked, "Are you sure that she's infected?" Maybe Grace had been out of the game too long but she was not convinced.

She could tell Sam didn't want to respond but he nodded. He was distressed and looked away. Mark couldn't handle it and walked away. Dean was focused and took a step forward. He raised his gun and fired twice.

Grace could barely stomach it.

OoOoOo

Grace sat in the bathroom with the door closed and locked. The fluorescent light made her skin look sickly and her face sunken in. She splashed her face with cool water. Her mind could not slow. Yeah, the woman had been infected but couldn't they just leave her in there until this was over? Did she really have to die? It was too blurry of a call to make that quickly and yet Dean did what he felt needed to be done.

A knock on the door caused Grace to jump. She let out a shaky breath and turned to open the door. Sam was standing before her, concern shown on his face. "Grace? You okay?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yeah."

He stared longer before saying, "We're making explosives. It's the best chance we got to get out of here. When all this is said and done, we'll talk okay? We've got some catching up to do."

"Alright, let's get to it." Grace was ready to leave.

When Grace reentered the room she saw someone new was coming towards the clinic. She went to stand by Dean and Sam followed. Mark had yelled, "It's Duane Tanner!" He went to go open the door to let him in.

Dean turned to Sam, "That the guy that I….uh." Dean made a mouth noise.

Grace stared, "Oh great." Her voice was deadpan and emotionless. She assumed Dean was alluding to Sam's visions.

The kid walked in further. He looked too young. She couldn't imagine Dean killing him, but then again she couldn't imagine him killing the woman in the other room and yet he had. Sweat covered his skin, a backpack was slung over his shoulder. But he could be infected. Truthfully they wouldn't know until he lashed out.

Dean moved forward as Duane did. He grabbed him by the arm, "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, chief. Hey Doc! Give Duane a good once-over, would you?"

The doctor nodded and moved Duane into the lab. She called for Pam to help. Grace stood beside Sam, feeling safest beside him. Duane stared at Dean with wide, questioning eyes. He was sweaty and scared. Grace could see the artery in his throat pulsing from where she stood.

"Duane, where you been?" Mark asked. He was clearly not frightened.

"On a fishing trip up by Roslyn. I came back this afternoon. I . . . I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know! They started cutting him with knives! I ran, I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anybody seen my mom and dad?"

Dean shared a look with Sam and Grace.

Grace watched Dr. Lee's assessment of Duane. He was propped up on a stool. The doctor crossed her arms, "You're bleeding."

Dean was all business, "Where'd you get that?"

Duane stuttered over himself, nervous, "I was running, I must have tripped."

Dean shook his head, "Tie him up, there's rope in there." Dean motioned to the cabinet. Everyone hesitated, but Sam moved to grab it. Duane tried to resist verbally but Dean pulled out his gun.

"Sit down!" Dean ordered.

"I'm sorry, Duane, he's right. We've gotta be careful." Mark spoke forlornly.

"Careful about what?" He asked.

Grace looked at him, "Did they bleed on you?"

"No, what the hell? No!" Duane yelled as he became more alarmed.

"Doc? Any way to know for sure, any test?" Sam asked. He was hopeful that Duane wouldn't be infected, but with an open wound. That changed things.

"I've studied Beverly's bloodwork backwards and forwards."

"My mom?" Duane interjected.

Dr. Lee frowned, "It took three hours for the virus to incubate. The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then, so . . . no, there'd be no way of knowing. Not until after Duane turns."

Sam turned towards Dean and Grace, "We gotta talk. Now."

They left the room.

OoOoOo

"This is my vision, Dean. It's happening." Sam told him, clearly afraid. Yet another vision coming true.

"Yeah I figured." Dean responded.

Sam felt the guilt rise in him. He turned to Dean. "You can't kill him, all right? Not yet. We don't know if he's infected or not."

Dean scoffed, "Well, I think we're pretty damn sure. Guy shows up out of nowhere, he's got a cut on his leg, his whole family's infected?"

"You're really just stacking up the numbers there aren't you Dean?" Grace had tried not to make any comments, but there was no reason to kill this guy yet. He was showing no signs of infection as of right now.

Dean, surprised, glared at her. "I'm protecting my family. Including you."

Grace felt her cheeks flush and she looked away.

"All right, then we should keep him tied up, and we should wait and see." Sam cut in.

"For what? For him to Hulk out and infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance." Dean began to move but Sam stopped in. Grace stood directly in front of the door. She was not letting Dean out of here until Sam was okay with it.

Dean let out a harsh breath, "Hey look, I'm not happy about this either, okay?"

Sam shook his head, "It's supposed to be tough, Dean. We're supposed to struggle with this, that's the whole point."

"What does that buy us?" Dean's voice was rising.

"A clear conscience, for one!" Sam retorted.

"Well, it's too late for that." Dean said. Grace watched the brother's struggle. Things had really changed after all. She didn't remember Sam and Dean being so terse with one another. It was hard to believe how much time could warp things. This was not one argument Grace had ever expected.

Sam put his hand on Dean's chest, stopping him once more. "What the hell's happened to you?"

"What?" Dean asked.

"You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care! You don't act like yourself anymore, Dean. Hell, you know what? You're acting like one of those things out there." Sam spat venomously.

What happened next was too quick and shocking that Grace couldn't have possibly intervened. Dean pushed past Sam again and Sam resisted once more. Instead of holding his position, Dean grabbed Sam and hurled him across the room and towards the far wall.

Grace gasped, "Dean, what the hell?" She rushed over to help Sam. She couldn't stand to look at Dean in that moment. She heard the door shut and the lock click behind her.

Sam was on his feet in an instant running after Dean. He banged on the locked door yelling for Dean. Grace shook her head.

"Sam, stop. He's not letting us out of here."

OoOoOo

The door unlocked and Dean stood before them. Sam rushed out. It had only been five or so minutes. Grace wondered if Duane Tanner was really dead. She prayed he wasn't because she wasn't sure she could look at Dean the same way if he was. Dean couldn't make eye contact with her.

"Dean…" She trailed off.

"I couldn't do it." He whispered.

Grace moved forward. She stood so close to Dean she was welcomed by his familiar scent, his warmth. His eyes were sad and full of guilt. Grace put her hand on his cheek. Dean tensed and pulled away but Grace pushed a bit more firmly.

"What happened to you?" Her voice was nearly inaudible.

Dean felt like he could cry.

But instead he walked away, leaving Grace standing there.

OoOoOo

They all stood in the room preparing the explosives. Silence loomed amongst them. Dr. Lee was studying Duane's blood. He was still tied up and uninjured. Grace didn't have to ask why Dean didn't do it. She knew why. But for some reason she felt that Dean was angry with himself for not following through.

The doctor walked into the room, her hands in her pockets. She cleared her throat, "It's been over four hours. Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's all right."

Grace stood away from the boys, but she saw the look they shared. Sam nodded and Dr. Lee went to untie him. Grace kept her mind busy by focusing on the task at hand. She glanced up as Sam walked out of the room for more supplies. Grace couldn't believe they were going to have to fight their way out of here. She promised herself if she made it out alive, she was not going to Oregon for a long time.

The sound of bodies slamming and glass shattering disrupted her. Grace looked up and was moving before she could process where she was going. Dean was at the door before her, which he aptly kicked open and entered the supply room. Pam was kneeling over Sam. That was all Grace could see. Dean fired three shots that went directly into Pam's back. Her body twitched and she fell to the floor. Grace did not even think twice as she pushed past Mark and Dean to help Sam.

Mark pulled her back, "You can't. She bled on him. He's infected."

"What?" Grace snapped. Sam quickly pulled his hand back and saw the blood. Dean was completely stunned.

Grace dropped her hand.

OoOoOo

They had all moved back into the lab. Sam was sitting on the same stool that Duane had been. He had a bandage pressed to his chest. He was near tears. Everyone surrounded him. Dean was pacing, his mind racing.

"You okay Sam?" Grace murmured gently.

He nodded.

Dean was desperate. "Doc, check his wound again, would you?"

When Dr. Lee hesitated, Dean became visibly frustrated.

Mark chimed in, "What's she need to examine him for? You saw what happened."

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" Dr. Lee looked to Sam.

"Come on, of course it did!" Mark shouted.

Grace listened to them go back and forth and then Mark said, "You know what we have to do."

Grace became protective, "No one is going to hurt Sam."

Dean shot her a grateful look and nodded, "No one."

Duane shook his head, "He isn't gonna be your brother much longer. You said it yourself."

"Look, no one is shooting anyone." Dean spoke with finality.

"You were gonna shoot me!" Duane yelled.

"You don't shut your pie-hole, I still might!" Dean pointed at him.

Sam cleared his throat, "They're right. I'm infected; just give me the gun and I'll do it myself."

"No Sam. No." Grace shook her head. No matter what happened she was not losing another Winchester. Sam had become her friend and confidant even if they hadn't seen each other in months. The times they checked in, the phone calls and conversations. Sam was her friend no matter what.

"I'm not gonna become one of those things." Sam sounded broken.

"Sam, we've still got some time." Dean spoke softly.

Mark shook his head, "Time for what? Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry, I am. But we gotta take care of this." Mark moved to pull out his handgun.

"I'm gonna say this one time — you make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? I mean, do I make myself clear?!" Dean yelled.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Mark was letting the fear of what could happen control him. Dean took his keys and tossed them to him. Grace couldn't believe it.

"Get the hell out of here, that's what. Take my car. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there. You two go with him. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now." Dean didn't care when it came to protecting his brother. They could have everything.

Mark looked between Dean and Grace, "What about you two?"

Grace looked away. She would never be able to look at herself if she left. "Dean, Grace, no. No. Go with them. This is your only chance!"

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easy." Dean quipped.

Grace whispered, "Sorry Sam. I can't leave you."

The group all exchanged looks and few words. They nodded and began to leave. Dean moved to shut the door behind him. His eyes focused on Grace. She had drug a chair to sit beside Sam. Sam was on the verge of tears.

"So you staying back too Gracie?" Dean asked her.

"Yeah." She was trying to prepare for what might happen.

Dean sighed, "Wish we had a deck of cards, or a foosball table or something."

"Don't you two do this. Just get the hell out of here. Give me the gun and leave." Sam begged.

"No." Dean responded simply.

Sam slammed his hand on the table, "This has got to be the dumbest thing you two have ever done."

Grace and Dean shared a look that held more than either of them could believe. Grace immediately wondered if he regretted telling her that there was nothing between them. Dean thought about the night his dad died and asking Grace to stay with him. And while that wasn't dumb, the way he treated her afterwards was.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I've got a long list." Dean chuckled.

"I'm sick. I'm sick. It's over for me. It doesn't have to be for you two." Sam was losing steam.

"Sam, please. We'll be here until the end and you can't change that." Grace told him. He looked at her and she felt her throat tighten. But she told herself she was not going to cry. She was going to hold back her tears for as long as she could. She hadn't cried since she found John's letter and she was going to hold out for as long as she could.

"You can keep going." Sam said.

"Who says I want to?" Dean countered.

"What?" Sam asked. Grace looked up at Dean.

Dean walked across the room. He took his handgun out of his pocket and set it down on the countertop. He sat on top of the file cabinet. Grace couldn't believe that Dean was actually questioning whether or not he wanted to hunt.

"I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life . . . this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it." Dean shared what had been swelling inside of him.

"So what, so you're just going to give up? You're just gonna lay down and die? Look, Dean, I know this stuff with Dad has —"

Dean cut him off, "You're wrong. It's not about Dad. I mean, part of it is, sure, but..."

"But what?" Grace had to know if the feeling he had was anywhere near similar to what she was experiencing.

Just then there was a loud noise outside. Dr. Lee rushed into the room.

"There's no one. Not anywhere, they've all vanished." She announced.

Maybe there was an end to this night after all.

OoOoOo  
After discovering that Sam's blood was okay, it had been five hours and nothing, the group had dispersed. Sam, Dean, and Grace remained outside the clinic. Grace sat on the bed of her truck, her legs dangling. Her mind was still processing that Sam's blood was somehow immune to the virus. Dean had his arms crossed and he was looking down at the ground. Sam was silent as well.

"I uh...there are other kids out there like me. I mean they aren't kids anymore, but other people with abilities similar to mine." Sam finally said, breaking the silence. Grace lifted her head and stared at him. She was stunned at the information but understood why he had waited to tell her.

Instead of Grace speaking, Sam continued, "We met this guy, Andy. He can convince people to do whatever he asks them to, just by talking to him. He had a brother too, but he died. Ash did some work for us and he found out that their parents didn't die in a house fire or when they were babies so they don't fit the pattern we thought we had."

Dean nodded slowly and watched as Grace absorbed the information. She couldn't really believe it. The possibility of other children having similar abilities had never crossed her mind. It was unfathomable.

"So what next?" Grace asked.

Sam shook his head, "We keep looking."

Silence loomed amongst them. Grace was never very good with finding the right words to say in moments like these. She knew that she wanted to help somehow, but she was unsure of what she could do. She looked up at Dean whose eyes were focused on her.

He cleared his throat and asked her, "You headed to Washington still? For that hunt?"

"No…I think I've had enough for now." She hadn't told Sam and Dean that she hadn't hunted in two months. And this case that she stumbled upon in Washington would be solved within a weeks time. That's how cases happened. Hunters jumped at whatever they saw and the cases went fast. Sometimes it seemed there was endless stream of hunts and others days it was as if all things supernatural had run dry.

"I want to know what you were going to say." Sam looked to his brother.

Dean gave a sad smile but shrugged it off, "C'mon man, I thought I was dying you can't hold that against me."

Grace tilted her head to the side and stared at him, "Dean, whatever you're feeling you can tell us. I know it's not the same, but I'm tired too...of all of it."

Dean felt his chest tighten. She would never know how easy she made it. She could be the most difficult spitfire one minute and the next she was warm and inviting.

"I just think we should take a break from all this. Why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility, you know? Why can't we live life a little bit? I mean Grace, what have you been up to the last few months really?" It sounded so unlike him.

"I…"

Sam jumped in, "Why are you saying all this?"

Dean shook his head and turned away from them. Sam followed and pulled Dean to face him. "No, no, no, no, Dean. You're my brother, all right? So whatever weight you're carrying, let me help a little bit." Sam offered.

"I can't. I promised." Dean told him. Grace stiffened. Sam still didn't know. Dean looked at her, the guilt was written across his face. Sam looked to Grace.

"Who? What's going on?" Sam's concern for Dean was fading fast.

"Dad."

"What are you talking about," he turned to Grace, "Do you know?"

Dean looked down. Grace felt like she should not be here for this. But it was too late now. "I'm sorry Sam…I'm so sorry." She whispered. She had thought Dean would tell him eventually. But he hadn't.

"Right before Dad died, he told me something," Dean took a breath, "He told me something about you."

Frantic, Sam asked, "What? Dean what did he tell you?"

"He said that he wanted me to watch out for you, to take care of you." Dean skirted around the truth. He didn't know how to tell him.

Sam shook his head, "He told you that a million times."

"No, this time was different. He said that I had to save you." Dean tried again.

"Save me from what?"

"He just said that I had to save you, that nothing else mattered; and that if I couldn't, I'd . . ." Dean couldn't bring himself to say it.

"You'd what, Dean?" When Dean didn't respond he looked to Grace, "Grace?"

Dean raised his hand, "No, no. I'll tell you. He said…that I'd have to kill you. He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy."

The look that Sam gave Dean made Grace feel worse than she already did.

Confusion, fear, anger crossed his features. Grace bit her lip and looked down at her hands.

"Kill me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sam shouted.

"I don't know." Dean spoke softly.

"I mean, he must have had some kind of reason for saying it, right? Did he know the demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go darkside or something? What else did he say, Dean?"

"Nothing, that's it, I swear." Dean meant each word.

Sam shook his head, "How could you not have told me this? And you Grace? How long have you been keeping this from me? We've been talking since dad died and you never thought to bring this up?" Dean looked at her. He hadn't known that they had kept in touch at all. Dean hadn't let his thoughts drift to Grace, but sometimes they did. Sam had kept it hidden from him.

"Dean told me the night John died." Grace murmured softly.

Sam scoffed, "Of course. The night that we won't talk about, right?"

Dean cut in, "I didn't say anything to you because it was Dad, and he begged me not to."

Sam was beyond reason. "Who cares?! Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean! You had no right to keep this from me!"

"You think I wanted this? Huh? I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth. Then I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day."

"Yeah but you could still confide in Grace." Sam turned and took a few steps away. Grace hopped down from the bed of her truck. She knew Sam had every right to be angry, but she didn't want him to lose trust in her.

"We've just got to figure out what's going on, then, what the hell all this means." Sam finally said. Grace didn't know if that included her.

"We do? I've been thinking about this, I think we should just lay low. You know? At least for a while. It'd be safer. And that way I can make sure —" Dean tried to tell him his plan.

"What? That I don't turn evil? That I don't turn into some kind of killer?" Sam felt completely alone. He had no idea how to grasp what he was hearing. And the fact that he was the last one to hear it made it worse.

"I never said that." Dean interrupted him.

"Jeez, if you're not careful you will have to waste me one day, Dean."

"I never said that! Damnit, Sam, this whole thing is spinning out of control. All right? You're immune to some weirdo demon virus, and I don't even know what the hell anymore. And you're pissed at me, I get it. That's fine, I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?" Dean tried.

"Forget it." Sam didn't even think it over.

Grace moved closer to Sam. He wouldn't even look at her. "Sam please. No one thinks you are going to turn into a monster. You would never hurt an innocent person and there isn't an evil bone in your body. Dean…I…we just need time okay? We need to think about all of this and what it means before anything else is done."

" I'm begging you here, please. Please." Dean gave him one last pleading look.

Sam nodded reluctantly. Without another word he moved to get into the passenger seat of the Impala. Grace ignored the stinging hurt from his lack of goodbye. She hoped that they would reconcile sooner rather than later. Dean ran his hands down his face and groaned.

"I didn't mean for that to happen that way." He told her.

"I know you didn't. I just, I thought he knew." Grace whispered.

Dean shook his head and looked at her. "We're gonna head out. You'll be okay?" He was never one for long drawn out goodbyes. And with Grace goodbyes just seemed strange. He knew they would see each other again; it was just a question of when.

Grace nodded.

Dean turned away and began to head towards his car. Grace wrestled internally with herself and then called after him.

"Hey Dean," he looked back at her, "Don't be a stranger?"

Even with all of the chaos and unknown circling them, despite the fact that they had not had a real conversation about anything that was coming between them, Dean smiled at her.

She would take his friendship.


	14. Chapter 13

**Hello! I realize that I have not posted consistently in a long time. I am sorry for such a delay but I still am writing and will continue as I've always said. I'm really excited about this chapter and all that is going to happen. I hope some of you are still out there reading and following the story. And if so after you read through this, drop a review/comment. What are you liking or not liking? Any suggestions or things you would like to see? I only have a few more chapters written after this one and would love to hear what you all think!**

 **Thank you and enjoy!**

OoOoOo

 _There was only a small glimmer of light illuminating the hallway. Multiple voices could be heard, but no words could be made out. Her tiny hand used the wall to steady heself as she tiptoed down the hallway closer to the room. Once she was close enough to the doorway, but out of sight, she stood and listened._

 _"If we're going to do this we have to be smart about it." A voice Grace did not recognize spoke sternly._

 _"We will. We summon it, kill it and move onto the next." She recognized this voice as her father. Grace felt the urge to run in and hug him. She had been a daddy's girl since she could remember. Nothing beat running to her father for comfort or validation. He was the sweetest man she had ever met._

 _"Henry we aren't young and reckless anymore. We have Grace now." Her mother, Emily, gently reminded him. That's how her mother had always been. She taught at the elementary school Grace attended a few blocks away. All the children loved her. Grace was the spitting image of her. She was a petite woman with piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair that was almost black. But, in the summer it would turn a shade of brown that Grace loved to look at._

 _"And another on the way." The stranger cut in._

 _Grace felt excitement rush through her. She wasn't sure what it meant but she thought she understood. Grace covered her toothy grin and continued to listen. What if she were going to be a big sister? Finally!_

 _"I know that," her father snapped, "But this is important. How can we have a normal life if this is hanging over us?"_

 _And then Grace couldn't help it. She let out a sneeze. The room became instantly silent. There was rustling around and then Grace's mother appeared before her. There was a visible look of relief when she saw her daughter standing before her._

 _"Oh Gracie you scared me," She scooped up her daughter in her arms, "Can't sleep?"_

 _Grace shook her head._

 _Emily Bradley smiled lovingly at her daughter, "Alright, well let's try and fix that."_

OoOoOo

Grace shifted awake. The dream had felt so real. She had almost forgotten what her parents looked like. It had been so long since she had seen them in her memory. Grace reached over to turn on the small lamp on her nightstand. She sat up slowly, unable to fall back asleep. She felt like she was alone in this. Bobby wasn't going to ask questions, Sam and Dean were on the road and she hadn't heard from either of them in far too long. And Grace had yet to reach out to Nora and vice versa. With a heavy sigh Grace stood up.

This was something she had to do on her own. She glanced at the dinky alarm clock on her dresser. It was three in the morning. Grace put on a navy hooded sweatshirt and pulled on a pair of black yoga pants. Bobby was still sound asleep. Grace could hear him snoring as she silently crept past his bedroom door. Now was as good a time as any to search through her family's belongings.

Grace took a few minutes to move the boxes from the hall closet upstairs and down to the kitchen. This was bound to take awhile so Grace began to brew a pot of coffee. She had the five boxes placed on the floor next to the rickety kitchen table. She stared at them before she decided to pick one up and place it on the table.

With a swift movement Grace used a pocketknife that had been in the center of the table and began to cut the tape that had sealed it shut. Grace peeled the cardboard flaps back and stared at the contents. It was nothing spectacular or earth shattering. She saw some of her old clothes from when she was a little girl, far too much pink than what she wore now. There were some old toys; including a stuffed bear she had obviously named Teddy. It was a raggedy old thing now, but she remembered it. Grace set the bear aside on the table.

The memories weren't hitting her quite yet, at least no unpleasant ones. She pushed the box aside and moved onto the next. This one had some photo albums, all of the pictures included her and her parents. There was nothing of her parents before she existed. She wanted to see pictures of them when she was young. As she was flipping through the pages she found a picture of the three of them. Grace was sitting in the middle of them, her hair in a ridiculous bowl cut. She wore a red and black polka dot dress. Her mother was on her left; her father on the right. They looked happy. She deftly removed the picture from behind its plastic covering. This one she would keep with her.

As more time passed, Grace started to feel like there was nothing new here. Yes, the photos and objects that had once been a part of her everyday life were bringing on waves of nostalgia. But at the end of the day her parents had died at the hands of a demon or demons. And she still felt like she would never really know them.

When she got to the last box that she had brought back to Bobby's, she felt like the wind had gone out from beneath her sails. She flung open the box and began to pick through, just like she had with the others. Only this time it was different. Confusion and curiosity coursed through her as she began to register what she was seeing. She saw multiple hunting knifes and blades. She picked up a smaller hunting knife with an oak stained handle. The initials H.B. were carved onto the handle. There were two small handguns that were out of date but appeared to be in good shape.

Her stomach began to feel sick and her heart sped up when she saw a drawing of the colt. The paper was crinkled with age and the ink had been faded. Samuel Colt's signature was scribbled on the bottom corner of the handmade paper. Grace gingerly pushed it aside and saw drawings of other blades as well. One was sleek and the blade had a long sharp point. Another sketch was messier and said "demon" on the paper. They looked almost like blueprints. Numbers and foreign symbols were etched all over the papers. Grace pushed them aside and began to dig around for more. She saw fake ID's with her parents faces plastered on them but with false addresses and names. There were phony credit cards and amulets Grace had never seen before.

Her parents had been hunters.

OoOoOo

Grace had left all of the evidence of her parent's identity on the kitchen table. The sun was rising as she sat on the front steps staring out at the beat down cars and junk strewn across the lawn. She couldn't process it. She had actually stopped looking through everything. Her mind had to catch up. How could they have been hunters? The weapons, the fake information, and the image of the colt…it was unreal. Did John know? Did Bobby? Had this been kept from her all this time? And if so, why? Questions raced through her mind. However, she was not angry, not yet anyway. She was too thoughtful on the subject. She would have to find out more.

She held her head in her hands. She had no idea who her parents were. All these years she had imagined a normal couple with a little girl and that was it. Nothing crazy and nothing like the life she had led thus far. But she was wrong. How had she not known?

"Grace?" Bobby walked out onto the front porch. He looked worried. His hands were in his pockets. He looked immediately guilty. She had guessed he had seen what she had spent her morning uncovering since it was all displayed on the kitchen table.

"Did you know?" She murmured.

Bobby took of his hat and rubbed his forehead. With a heavy sigh he said, "Not at first, no."

Grace felt a stab of betrayal.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, her voice getting even quieter.

Bobby did not know where to start or what to say. This was a day he knew would come eventually. That was the pesky thing about the truth, it demanded to be known. But the way Grace looked at him right now, his heart broke.

"When John brought you here, he didn't tell me who you were. I didn't know until much later. John didn't want you hunting; he wanted to honor your parent's wishes. But that didn't quite go as planned." Bobby fumbled his words.

Grace's eyes shot to him, "Honor my parent's wishes? He knew my parents?"

Grace started thinking of so many things. She had assumed John had only been watching them once they were possessed. But now other things started clicking into place. John's apprehensiveness of her hunting, his letter where he told her he remembered that night very well, or there had been a few times he told her hunting was in her blood.

Bobby nodded sadly.

"Why did you all keep this from me?" She stood to her feet.

"Grace, you couldn't possibly understand it. Back then; hunting was just becoming a team effort. More and more people were coming together. Hunters would meet at bars along highways to share stories, ideas. How do you think the Roadhouse became so popular?" Bobby tried to explain.

Grace shook her head, "I don't even know what to say right now. Or think."

Bobby didn't know what to say or do either.

"I have to go." Grace concluded.

"Go where?"

"I don't know yet. I need to go talk with other hunters, talk about my parents. I need to find out what people knew about them and what they were trying to do. I need to know what killed them and why. It's something I should have done a long time ago." Grace did not know where to place her emotions or how to feel.

Bobby shook his head but said nothing.

Without another word Grace went back into the house.

OoOoOo

Grace had packed two duffel bags full of clothes and weapons. There were enough supplies to last at least a month. She also had a tool chest in the bed of her truck that acted as another container for her weapons and miscellaneous hunting items. She was bound and determined to head out first thing in the morning. Her and Bobby had not said too much to each other. He hadn't tried to convince her to stay.

A list of other hunters had been complied. Grace had complied names of hunters she knew with hopes that they knew something. Her first stop would have to be the Roadhouse. She hadn't been to there in a little over a year or so. Ash, who Grace had always got along with, should be able to provide some sort of insight. Even though Ash didn't look like it, he was the smartest man when it came to finding something out.

Grace was cleaning up dinner when there was a knock on the front door. She had made spaghetti and garlic bread for she and Bobby. They both knew it would be awhile before she was back at the house. He had mentioned Nora briefly but Grace evaded. She hadn't heard from her and she hadn't reached out. It was gnawing at her, but she felt like she had really hurt Nora and was just giving her time.

Grace wiped off her hands and went to answer the front door. She flipped the switch so the porch light turned on. Through the glass door Sam's figure stood in the darkness. Grace couldn't help but smile at the sight of them especially after how things ended last time. They had not talked since Oregon, which she thought would give him time to cool off.

When she opened the door Sam grinned at her. "Sam what are you doing here?" Grace opened the door and motioned for him to come inside. She noticed how he glanced around the house, even though he tried to be covert. Grace ignored it.

"I just thought I would come by and visit. After how things have been you know?" Sam moved in to give Grace a hug.

"Where's Dean?" Grace slipped away from Sam and moved into the kitchen. Sam followed. It was suspicious. Sam, but no Dean. And she hadn't heard that they were travelling apart. But then again, would she have?

Grace leant on the countertop as Sam stood across from her. "You know, he's with some girl and a bottle of whiskey curled up somewhere." Sam shrugged it off. Grace nodded.

"Yeah sounds like Dean."

Sam took a step closer, "You two still trying to figure each other out?" The way Sam's eyes focused on her was unsettling.

Grace blushed but turned to the fridge. Just to be safe, she grabbed two beers from the fridge and kept the one for her in her right hand. She tossed one to Sam.

"Sam, you know the answer to that."

"Well I would like to think I do. Dean looks at you like a kid sister, but I see you for who you are Gracie." Sam did not take his eyes away from hers. And that was when Grace knew it wasn't Sam.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, you're a woman. Not a child. And you deserve to be treated like one." Something was off.

"Well cheers to that." Grace masked her discomfort with a feigned smile. She popped open the tab and motioned for Sam to do the same. He followed suit and their cans clinked together.

Grace took a sip and watched as Sam did too. Almost instantly, Sam spit out the beer. He began to violently choke as he fell to his hands and knees. The gagging sound from his throat made Grace think that he was going to vomit. She took another swig and set the can aside her.

"What'd you do?!" Sam yelled.

Grace shrugged, "A little holy water wouldn't have phased Sam. But you aren't Sam."

Grace proceeded to slam her fist into the side of Sam's face, knocking him out. She heard footsteps racing down the stairs. Bobby stopped in the doorway to the kitchen. He looked at Sam on the ground and back to Grace.

"What the hell happened?" He asked.

"Sam's possessed. It's not him. We need to move him." Grace explained quickly. She walked over to the kitchen table as Bobby began to drag Sam out of the room. She had to call Dean.

He picked up before the first ring was even finished, "Grace?! Grace, listen if Sam comes-"

Grace interrupted, "He's already here."

"What! Listen Sam isn't himself, he's-"

Grace sighed and cut in again, "He's possessed."

"Will you stop finishing my sentences?" Dean barked.

Grace let out a small giggle and heard Dean groan in frustration.

"Dean, he's here. I got him with some holy water. I assume you're already on your way here?" Grace felt anticipation at seeing him again.

"Be there soon."

With that they hung up.

OoOoOo

Grace opened the door to a disgruntled Dean. He walked in right past her, stopped, then turned. He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a onceover. Grace hadn't seen Dean this flustered in a long time.

"What the hell happened to you?" Grace asked.

"He shot me." Dean grit out.

Grace raised an eyebrow, "Who patched you up?"

"Jo did. Look it's not important. Are you okay?"

Grace nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. He's tied up. Bobby's in there right now." It seemed like Sam was going to the women who Dean knew. Dean studied her a little more closely. She felt much safer knowing Dean was there, but being under his scrutiny made her heart speed up.

They walked into the room. Bobby and Dean exchanged quick glances. Dean was relieved that Sam was here in the flesh, but then again, it wasn't really Sam. Dean knelt before Sam and abruptly smacked him the face, shaking him from his unconsciousness. Sam blinked, then looked up to see the Devil's Trap. Dean followed his vision.

"Dean. Back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach. You seem a little…agitated? Is it because I came to see Gracie?"

Dean responded, "How about I smack that smartass right out of your mouth?"

Sam chided, "Oh, careful, now. Wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging."

Dean clicked his tongue, "Oh don't worry, this isn't gonna hurt Sam much." He turned to Grace. She handed him a bucket filled to the brim with holy water. Dean glanced at her as he took it. Without another word, Dean threw the water onto the possessed Sam. Again, his skin began to sizzle as he let out a snarl.

"Feel like talking now?" Dean asked.

"Sam's still my meat puppet. I'll make him bite off his tongue." Sam spoke with absolute certainty.

"No, you won't." Grace muttered. Bobby began to recite the Latin words that would lead to an exorcism.

Dean raised his voice so that he could be heard over Bobby, "See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up? You're not getting Sam. You understand me? 'Cause I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

Sam began to struggle against his binds. He then threw his head back and laughed manically, startling Bobby and Grace. Bobby paused for a moment, waiting.

"You really think that's what this is about? The master plan? I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan." Sam gritted.

Bobby continued, but this time Sam did not move.

"Oops. Doesn't seem to be working. See, I learned a few new tricks." Sam chimed in. Then he lowered his head and began to say his own incantation. The fireplace flared to life and the room began to quake.

"What's going on, Bobby?" Dean yelled.

Grace looked at Sam and then at his arm. She saw the red, blistering mark. "It's a binding link. It's locked in his body." Grace told them.

"What the hell do we do?" Dean panicked.

"I don't know!" Grace shouted in response. This was completely new to her. Sure she had read about them but that was it.

Sam threw his head back and let out a blood curdling screm; the shaking walls and ceilings began to crack, the protective circle went along with it. Sam's eyes turned black in an instant.

"There. That's better." Sam whispered.

He jerked his head to the left and Bobby went flying across the room. Grace went to run to help Bobby, but Sam flung her across the room. Her head collided with hard brick and she let out a pained gasp. She saw Dean go flying, the holy water flask that had been his hand landing on the floor away from him. Sam got up and went directly for Dean.

"You know when people want to describe the worse possible thing? They say it's like hell." Sam knelt in front of him. He grabbed the fabric of Dean's shirt and pulled him up so that they were eye level. With a violent motion, he punched Dean in the face. Dean grabbed onto Sam. Grace tried to move to help him, but she was locked in place. The demon was holding her there.

"You know there's a reason for that. Hell is like, um," the demon landed another punch on Dean, "Well, it's like hell. Even for demons." Another punch and Dean began to bleed from his nose. His eyes were barely open.

"It's a prison, made of bone and flesh and blood and fear," Another punch, and then he grabbed the back of Dean's head so that they were making eye contact, "And you sent me back there."

"Meg." Dean sneered.

"No. Not anymore. Now I'm Sam." Sam smiled. After one last swift punch to the face, Sam moved his right thumb into Dean's bullet wound. He pressed on the entrance and Dean let out a strangled cry.

"By the way. I saw your Dad there - he says "howdy"." Sam shared. Grace yelled at Sam trying to distract the demon, but it was to no avail. Dean groaned in pain. His mind not registering what he heard.

"All that I had to hold onto, was that I would climb out one day, and that I was going to torture you. Nice and slow. Like pulling the wings off an insect. But whatever I do to you, it's nothing compared to what you do to yourself, is it? I can see it in your eyes, Dean. You're worthless. You couldn't save your Dad. You can't help Grace, hell you can't even manage something as simple as a phone call to her. You left her to deal with your precious Dad's death all alone. And deep down ... you know that you can't save your brother. They'd have been better off without you." Sam delivered Meg's words effortlessly.

Suddenly Grace could move again. She stood to stop Sam from hitting Dean. But, Bobby was already there. He grabbed Sam's arm and pressed a hot fire poker into the mark that was linking Meg to him. Sam screamed out in agony and then the black demon smoke left him. The smoke left through the chimney. Grace moved to help Dean up. Sam fell back and then began to come to. He looked around and then grabbed the burning mark on his arm.

"Sammy?" Dean asked to be sure.

"Did I miss anything?" Sam looked utterly confused as he saw Dean's bloodied face and Grace beside him.

Without a word, Dean's fist collided into Sam's cheek. He collapsed into Grace. She wrapped her arms around him and let out a sigh of relief. Sam grabbed his face.

"What the hell?"

Grace cleared her throat, "Sam, you were possessed. Bobby, take him upstairs and help him get cleaned up? I'll take care of Dean."

Sam was utterly lost as Bobby helped him to his feet.

OoOoOo

Grace was half an inch from Dean's face as she pressed an ice pack on his eye. He looked like hell. Sam packed a mean punch. Dean couldn't stop looking at her as she examined him.

"You know uh…we called you a little while back, before Oregon. You never picked up." Dean said to her. Thoughts of what Meg had said still rang in his mind. And right now all he wanted was to talk with her, hear about what she had been up to, have an actual conversation that didn't revolve around hunting and their messed up lives.

Grace knew immediately which phone call he was referring to. She nodded slowly, "Yeah, Sam called. I was busy."

Dean kept on, "We put dad's tags at our mom's gravesite."

Grace felt a brief wave of sadness as she listened. "Thank you for calling. Or should I thank Sam?" She smiled at Dean.

Dean shrugged, "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." Grace finished dabbing some rubbing alcohol over a cut on Dean's face. He did not even flinch.

"Do you ever visit where your parents were buried?" His voice was gentle and he sounded genuinely interested. Grace stared at him. The dull light in the kitchen illuminated his face. His eyes pierced hers.

She went back to finishing up her task and said, "No." The Bradley's had graves in a small rundown cemetery right by Rapid River in South Dakota. They had been cremated. John had burned the bodies, he had told her that when she was fourteen. He explained why he did it. And then he told her that there were headstones for them if she ever wanted to visit. Her stomach felt sick as she thought about it. It seemed more and more likely that John and her parents were actual friends. He did them a service by cremating them and looking out for her all these years.

Grace abruptly stood up, "Well I'm glad Jo patched you up. And like everything else, your face will heal."

Dean immediately felt guilty, "I didn't mean to overstep or anything. And I should have stayed in better touch"

"You didn't overstep. Just hit a little close to home." Grace knew she sounded distant. Now that the excitement was over things had gone back to normal.

"How do you mean?"

Then it just felt like they were back in some old motel with a strange smell and stained carpets. Dean was the first person she wanted to call to tell about her parents or when she was hurting about John. She found comfort in hearing his voice or even just being near him. She wanted friendship with Dean, truly. And to have a friendship with him she needed to be honest and confide in him. But she had a nagging feeling that she would want something so much more. She couldn't control it or help it.

"Gracie? Dean shook her from her thoughts.

"You know what I found out this morning?" Grace looked up at Dean.

"What?"

"My parents knew John. They were friends and all hunters. I was in Rapid City, where I was born, when Sam called. I went to a storage locker there and all these belongings from my parents were just collecting dust. John wrote me a letter that said if I had questions to come to him. He knew all along and never said a word." She finally felt a surge of anger come through. Grace watched Dean's face and tried to gauge his reaction. His face contorted confused.

"What?" He was disbelieving.

"Yeah and you know what? You were the first person I thought of telling." Grace bit the inside of her lip as she turned away from him. Dean slowly got to his feet. He knew how she felt. There were moments where he had wanted nothing more than to call her and vent or just share what was happening throughout the day. It was a feeling Dean was not used to, checking in with someone. She and John were probably the only two people he had. When he and Grace had hunted together and she left, he would tell her where they were. At the time, he thought it was just giving her piece of mind or keeping her updated.

"What did you find?" Dean was trying to wrap his head around the whole thing.

"Weapons, pictures, fake ID's, the whole nine." Grace admitted to him.

Dean couldn't believe it. It was another thing John had never told him. He felt a flare of pride and satisfaction that Grace wanted him to know. But he did not show it.

"You could have called me."

"Dean, please don't pretend like everything is fine and normal between us. We go months without speaking, without seeing each other. Aside from Oregon the last thing you said to me made it pretty clear what your opinions were about me." Grace told him.

Dean cursed himself. He regretted every word he had said to Grace that afternoon. "Okay, but when something is wrong we help each other."

"Well what the hell is that supposed to make us?" Grace asked.

"What do you mean?"

"We can care about each other, but only minimally and only in life threatening situations?" Grace pushed.

Dean remained silent. This conversation had to be broached again. He knew Grace still felt something. He still felt something.

"Grace, I'm already hurting you. And I'm not even trying to."

"Dean all I-"

But he cut her off. "I've been with so many women I can't even count. Just last week I slept with someone I barely knew. I haven't handled dad dying at all. I can't get through a day without a drink. I can't be there for you. I can't keep Sam safe. So what the hell do you expect me to do with you?"

"Why are you telling me this?" Grace glared at him. She knew Dean's antics. It was not like she was ignorant about his persona. And she knew he was struggling. Hearing about the women Dean has been with hurt to hear, but it was not enough to change her opinion about him.

"Because it's true!"

"Not all of it is true." Grace retorted.

"How many people have you been with?" Dean pried.

"We aren't talking about that. It doesn't matter."

"It does to me." Dean pressed.

Grace blushed, "You know the answer."

"I want to hear you say it." Dean spoke evenly.

"Fine, none. I've never been with anyone."

Something flashed briefly in Dean's eyes. It was an all too intense gaze that made Grace's stomach flip. He wanted her. They both knew it. And she wanted him just as badly.

"That doesn't matter to me." Grace inserted her beliefs into the conversation.

"You deserve something, someone, much better." Dean spoke sternly.

"I wasn't aware you were making decisions for me." Grace snapped.

"How the hell did we even end up talking about this?" Dean tried to avoid the conversation he had initiated.

"If it makes a difference I'll just go into town and find some random guy and just get the whole virginity thing out of the way. Then maybe we can talk about what's really going on." Grace knew she was antagonizing him but she didn't care.

Dean took a step closer to her. She knew she was getting a rise out of him. He stared down at her, his eyes cold apart from their usual warmth.

"Don't talk like that." Dean's voice was low.

Grace clenched her jaw. She took a step closer bridging the gap between them. Dean wouldn't look at her. She was right and the fact that she was bothered Dean to no end. She was so young and inexperienced but Dean was drawn to her. He missed hunting with her, having her around. He knew that even if he couldn't accept it.

Grace chanced a look up at him and Dean was already gazing down at her. A small part of her felt embarrassed. How many times was she going to get shot down? And she knew Dean was close to giving in.

"Dean?" Grace did not break from his stare.

"Why are you making this so damn hard on me Gracie?"

Grace almost asked him to, but the chance of him saying no just to say it was too high. So she gently placed her hands on the sides of his face. She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. Whether it was wrong or right, and he tried to fight it, but when Grace felt him relax his lips press harder against hers she could not help the smile that came to her face. Dean's hand slid around to her lower back and he pulled her against him. It felt electric. The warmth of his lips on hers, the way he tasted; it was unreal. Grace rested her hands on his chest. She didn't want the moment to end. She let out a soft moan as Dean deepened the kiss. He leant back against the table and Grace rested against him.

"I'm all patched-" Sam walked in. He stopped mid sentence as he saw Dean and Grace.

Without hesitation they pulled apart from each other. Grace turned away from the brothers trying to calm herself down. She had never been as aroused as she was in that moment. But the embarrassment began to wipe the feeling away. Dean cleared his throat. He was unsure whether to be angry or ashamed. He felt like when he was a teenager and John had barged in on him in a hotel room with some busty redhead he had met at the local coffee shop. He just internally prayed Sam would not say a word, at least until they were out on the road.

"I'm all patched up." Sam spoke slowly, repeating himself. He was just as unsure as they were on what he had just witnessed.

"Oh uh good. We can hit the road then." Dean tried to sound casual.

Grace felt mortified but she turned. Sam stood before her only slightly amused but mostly interested in what he had just stumbled upon.

"Yeah." He paused, " Grace are you heading out with us?"

Grace and Dean both said no in unison. She gave Dean an annoyed look. Her heartbeat still hadn't returned to its normal rate. Dean rolled his eyes. Could this get any worse?

Grace attempted again. "I've got some things I need to do."

Dean nodded along. He couldn't be alone with her. That much was obvious now. He did not want to control himself around her. They were friends sure, but there was another side to it and he was not sure if that was going to go away.

Sam tilted his head, "Everything okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

She thought about what to say next. She didn't want to keep any more secrets from Sam or Dean.

"I went back to my hometown and went to this storage locker that had some things from my childhood home. And long story short, in one of the boxes I found some things. It looks like my parents were hunters, or at least knowledgable about hunting and they knew John."

"He never said anything about that." Sam murmured.

"I know. But now I need to find out more about them and what they were hunting." Grace was not being accusatory, but she had the strong desire to find whatever information she could.

"Grace we can help you with this." Sam said.

She shook her head no; "I've got it under control for now. Besides you have too much on your plate."

Sam shrugged, "So what?"

"I don't think so Sam. But thank you." Grace gave him a small smile.

The three of them stood in silence when Bobby walked in. He looked like he was contemplating something, but he couldn't hide the concern on his face.

"What is it, Bobby?" Grace ask.

He looked to Sam and Dean, "You boys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wandell?"

Dean immediately cut in, "Why do you ask?"

"Just heard from a friend. Wandell's dead. Murdered in his own house. You wouldn't know anything about that?" Bobby asked.

With ease Dean said, "No sir, never heard of the guy."

Sam tried to say something but Bobby quickly stopped him. "Good. Keep it that way. Wandell's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up, and they're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"

Dean cleared his throat, "We better hit the road. If, uh, you can remember where we parked the car."

"Here. Take these." Bobby handed the boys a charm.

"They'll stop you from getting possessed." Grace explained.

"You boys be careful now." Bobby sounded like their father. Bobby stared at Sam as he began to leave the room. Bobby stayed standing, but Grace stared at him.

Bobby cleared his throat, "Well I'll walk Sam out."

"I should go." Dean murmured.

Grace nodded.

He chanced a look at her. She was looking away, focused on looking at anything but Dean.

"Grace?"

"Yeah?"

"If you need anything and I mean anything, you call me." Dean told her.

"You gonna pick up?" Grace gave a light smile when she said it. It was her attempt at being playful with Dean.

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah Gracie, I'll pick up."

And with that he was out the door.

OoOoOo

"Sam. Don't." Dean said deathly serious. They were on the road to god know's where. At this point Dean just wanted to drive.

He held up his hands, "I didn't say anything."

"Yeah well before you do."

"I mean if I was going to say something I would say that Grace is funny, smart, and a skilled hunter."

"Mhmm"

"And you deserve someone like her."

Dean shot his brother a look. "What?"

Sam shrugged, "You do Dean."

Dean said nothing.

"Nothing to say?" Sam asked.

Dean shook his head.

He didn't know much of anything anymore.

OoOoOo

 **Hey all! Thanks for reading. I know I left kind of a long note at the beginning, but I had one last thing to say. For the next chapter, I have written out two different scenarios in reference to the "What Is and What Should Never Be" episode. In one, Grace helps Sam to find Dean and she saves him and in the other she is attacked by the djinn as well and experiences her own alternate universe. I can't decide which I like better, so if you have any preference or opinion, please share with me!**

 **Thank you, hope you enjoyed it!**


	15. Chapter 14

"So you're heading out?" Bobby looked uncomfortably at the front porch. He was avoiding eye contact with Grace. She had just finished packing up her truck with her belongings. She was as ready as she would ever be. At least the drive to the Roadhouse wasn't too far from Bobby's. She had put on a blue and white plaid shirt with an old pair of jeans and her beat down leather boots. The picture of her parents was placed safely in the glovebox of her car. It was now or never.

Grace stood on the ground before the front porch. The bright rays from the rising sun shone across her as she looked up at Bobby, "It looks like it."

Bobby nodded almost solemnly, "You gonna stop up at the cabin?"

Grace looked away. It was still early enough for Grace to decide if she wanted to go or not. Soon it would be the anniversary of Nora's parent's death. Every year, no matter what was going on, Nora always went up to the family cabin that had been in Idaho. Grace usually joined her for a few days. Nora always talked about her family, telling stories that Grace had heard before, but she never minded. The cabin was littered with family photos and personal touches. It was a time they stopped talking about hunting and allowed time for remembering. It gave Nora a piece of mind every time.

"Grace?" Bobby pushed.

She sighed, "I don't think she wants to see me. And she might have the new boyfriend with her. I wouldn't want to interrupt."

Bobby shook his head, "Make whatever excuses you want, but you two are too close to let whatever this is come between you."

"Bobby." Grace didn't want to admit that she was the one who had caused the riff between them. She still felt guilty and embarrassed, so much so she hadn't called at all and even trie to mend fences.

"She asks about you every time we talk." Bobby told her.

Grace stared at him, "You've been talking to her?"

"Well one of us has to."

Grace regained her composure, "I'll go. I just got to get some stuff over to Ash before I make the drive out there." Bobby didn't have any new information regarding her parents. He did not know if they were expecting another child and he didn't know which hunters were particularly close with them. Even though the news was disappointing, she believed him when he told her. That didn't mean he was going to give up though.

Grace jogged up the steps and gave Bobby a quick hug. He returned the embrace. He wondered what she would find and part of him hoped it wouldn't hurt her too badly. Some stones should remain unturned and he hoped that this was not one of those instances.

He kissed Grace on the forehead and she smiled at him. As she turned to head towards her truck, Bobby cleared his throat. "So are you…did Dean and you…I think that Dean is a good guy, but…" Bobby stumbled over his words in a way Grace had never seen before. Grace felt her face heat, as she understood where Bobby was going with this conversation.

"Bobby, c'mon. We don't need to talk about that."

Relationships or dating had never even been a topic broached by the two of them. Grace did not date. She never met anyone who had quite piqued her interest enough. There was never a man who she felt like she wanted to know or be near. Well, until Dean.

Bobby rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm just saying, he's a lot older. And trouble comes with the Winchesters. I love those boys like they were my own, but he ain't gonna slow down anytime soon."

It hurt her to hear and she was beginning to understand that Dean Winchester was not a one-woman man and even if he were, she wasn't that one woman. She thought back to last night, how his lips felt against hers. To her, and she could not fathom how it was not the same for Dean, but for her the kiss was magnetic. If Sam hadn't walked in Grace didn't know how she would've been able to stop.

"Alright Bobby, we didn't do this when I was sixteen and I don't think we need to do it now." Grace laughed.

Bobby grunted, "Well I said all I needed to. Get on out here, call if you need me."

Grace nodded, "Will do."

"Oh and Grace," Grace turned back, "Have a good birthday if I won't be seeing you."

She gave him one last smile and left.

OoOoOo

After nearly four hours of driving, Grace had arrived at the Roadhouse. The drive had been speeding down back roads as she thought about everything she wanted to get done. The pile of papers and ID's sat in the front passenger seat. She hoped Ash would be able to make something of them, because she knew nothing. Part of her thought she should have shown them to Bobby, but she did not want to rope him into it anymore.

It was still morning as Grace sat at the end of the bar. The manila folder full of private information was perched in front of her. She wished it were later in the day so she could drink without any guilt. A random hunter or two and a sparse amount of locals adorned the bar.

"Grace Bradley, wasn't expectin' to see you today." Ellen politely smiled as recognition dawned on her face. Grace knew about John's history with Ellen's family. Sometimes it felt like Ellen did not trust her due to her association with the elder Winchester. But she liked Ellen enough. She was knowledgeable and loyal, two traits that Grace admired.

"How you been Ellen?" Grace greeted her.

"I've been just fine. How about you? I'm sorry about John." Ellen spoke genuinely.

"Thanks. I'm actually here to see Ash though. He still out back?" Grace asked.

Ellen nodded, "Anything I can help with?"

"It's actually private. But thanks."

Grace moved to leave the bar and Ellen blurted, "Have you heard anything about Jo?"

Grace almost lied but decided against it. If she had a daughter out there in the world she would want to know she's okay too.

"Yeah, uh I heard she's in Duluth."

Ellen continued to clean a glass and nodded slowly, "Well there's still a room in the back if you decide you need to stay." Ellen was referring to the room Jo had left. Grace nodded.

Then she turned and made her way to Ash.

OoOoOo

Grace stood behind Ash with her arms crossed as she watched him rummage through all the papers and IDs she had deemed necessary to bring to his attention. Ash's face twisted and his eyebrows rose as he made different expressions. Once you got past the mullet and dirty plaid, Ash was beyond a genius.

"What are you wanting from me here?" He muttered.

"I want to know what this is. I want to know everything about my parents, what they were hunting, their friends, and any living family remaining. All of it." Grace spoke with conviction

"Well let me tell you I've been digging through some stuff and my hands are full. And from the looks of this...it's a shit storm."

She eagerly asked, "What do you mean?"

Ash scrambled some of the papers around and picked up the one with the colt. "This is an original," he paused and grabbed another paper, "And these symbols right here, ancient stuff. This will take me weeks to unravel."

"How is this a problem?" Grace asked.

"Whoever was holding onto these were into something seriously heavy."

"They were hunters."

"More than that."

Grace shook her head, "How could you know that?"

Ash pointed to a symbol, "This right here, used to summon an angel."

Grace stiffened, as she did not believe she heard correctly. The symbol consisted of a circle with other lined figures filling and surrounding it. She had never seen anything like it before. While Grace was fairly well versed with the lore, she was not all knowing.

"Angels?"

Ash was resting at his chin, his face still scrunched as he studied the page. He nodded.

"Angels are real?"

"Obviously. If demons and hell exist there's gotta be a heaven. Opposites Grace."

"Why is this symbol bad?"

"A run of the mill hunter probably stays in the business eight to eleven years and never knows anything like this exists. And these weapons and symbols... never seen anything like it. Not this much in one spot anyways."

"I know you're busy, trust me. I know Sam and Dean have you got you looking into some crazy shit, but, if I leave this with you here, will work on it? This is my last chance." Grace tried giving her best puppy dog eyes.

Ash hesitated then said, "Yes, but only because you play a mean game of pool."

Grace smiled gratefully, "Thank you."

"You sticking around for awhile?"

"For a few days. Yeah."

"Glad to hear it."

OoOoOo

Jo's room was dark and empty. It was as if she had never even been there. Grace wondered if Jo took everything or if Ellen, out of pure anger, had moved everything out of the room. Grace dropped her duffel bag on the floor let out a sigh. She had planned on asking Ellen about her parents, but she didn't. Maybe she wasn't read for the whole truth just yet. She wanted to hand over everything she had to Ash first. The rest of the hunters on her list were scattered all over. She wasn't even sure some of them were still alive anymore. It was nighttime by now. Grace had stayed in her room going between sleep and researching. She was coming up blank.

Then Grace's phone rang, stopping her overthinking. Dean's name showed up on the caller ID.

"Hello?" Grace answered her phone immediately. She wondered what was wrong now.

"Hey, it's Dean." his voice was soft, tinged with frustration.

"Yeah I know," she paused, "You know caller ID is still a thing."

They both nervously laughed. Grace sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a silence that loomed between them. She waited for Dean to say something, but he remained quiet.

Grace decided to break the tension, "I'm surprised you're calling. I'm assuming nothing is wrong or else you would've said so already."

An anxious chuckle greeted her, "Yeah, nothings wrong," Dean paused, "I really shouldn't have called."

As soon as she realized he was worried she was in awe, "Dean, I'm glad you did. How are you? And Sam?"

Dean responded quickly, "I'm fine and so is Sam. Just travelling together, being cooped up in the car or motel rooms is getting to be a lot. This hunt has been pretty crazy, none of it makes sense."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Bobby's coming down actually."

"That was fast. Things are that bad?" Grace had a flash of regret for not being home. She would have more than likely gone with Bobby.

"Yeah, I asked if you were with him but he said you left this morning. Any luck?"

"I'm at the Roadhouse actually. Ash is helping me out with some of this stuff."

"He's something."

"But he's smart, you gotta hand that to him."

"Surprises me every time I talk to him," Dean paused, "You haven't heard any news really then?"

Grace shook her head, "None yet. What about you? We didn't really get to talk about what Sam told me in Oregon."

There was a pregnant pause, then Dean said, "We met another girl in Illinois. She had visions like Sam. We think she might have been abducted by a demon. Her boyfriend was dead, but there were traces of sulfur in the room he was in." Dean explained calmly, his voice quiet and even.

Grace let the words soak in. How many people were there?

"What does this all mean?"

Dean cleared his throat, "There was a vampire hunter, Gordon-"

"Yeah I know him. I told Sam to stay away from him."

"Forgot you two kept in touch for a second," he paused, then continued, "Well apparently Gordon heard from a demon that there's some sort of demonic war coming, I don't know what to think about it."

Grace's stomach knotted, "A war?"

"That's what he said. Sam is scared out of his mind."

"How are you with all of this?" Grace asked concerned for him.

"I'm fine." He responded shortly. Grace couldn't help but roll her eyes because she knew he was more than likely the exact opposite.

"Thank you for filling me in."

Dean cleared his throat, "Let's talk about something else."

Grace smiled slightly and said the next thought that filled her mind. "I might be seeing Nora soon." She spoke softly.

"Haven't heard you talk about her in awhile."

Grace almost said he really hadn't heard her talk about anything for a long time, but she was enjoying how their conversation felt and she didn't want to mess it up. Grace lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling as she began to speak again.

"We went to Vegas after John died." Grace murmured.

"I didn't know that."

"I'm a little surprised Sam never told you. You know it was Nora's big idea that I'd go to Vegas and get drunk, forget about hunting, meet some guys and just have fun. She's dating this hunter, Chase. And don't get me wrong, it was fun for the first few days." Grace told him.

"Chase? Is he sticking around?"

"I have no idea. I wasn't that nice to him I don't think." Grace bit her lip.

Dean let out a laugh, "Well what happened in Vegas?"

Grace took a breath, "We ended up hunting after all and it was a demon, even though he wasn't who we were even supposed to be tracking. Nora was distracted and I followed him outside. I thought I could take him easily."

She heard nothing from Dean. She imagined him sitting in the Impala or alone in his motel room. He was probably going to get angry with her when she told him the actual truth. But, she wanted to tell him.

"I really went for it at first, but once he got a good hit in…I let him keep going." Grace whispered.

"Gracie…" Dean trailed off. He felt a stab of shame. Another reason he should have been there.

"And Nora came outside and the demon just smoked out anyway. I just left the club we were at and ended up leaving that night. I left her note in our hotel room, but we haven't talked since." Grace felt the guilt all over again.

"You tell Bobby about this?" Dean's tone was terse.

"No of course not. He would have been so angry with me. I just, I wanted to feel something after John died. Something aside from being guilty or anger. I couldn't stand another night of lying in bed thinking that this sinking feeling was never going to leave." She had not even thought about the words as they flowed from her mouth. It was all of the thoughts she had been thinking but she had finally shared them with someone else, even if it was late.

After a moment of silence Dean said, "To be honest with you, I didn't handle Dad's death any better. Hell, sometimes it still keeps me up at night."

Grace felt a pang in her chest, "I know what you mean."

"Sorry I wasn't there for you Grace."

"Don't apologize. I still miss him, but I'm doing better"

"So you're going to see her?" Dean carried on the conversation effortlessly. Even if the topics were heavy, just to hear her voice was soothing to him.

Grace sighed, "Yes. I think I will."

"Good."

Grace laughed, "You like Nora now?"

She could picture Dean's smile, "I've always liked her. She just wasn't a fan of mine."

"I don't know how that could be." Grace feigned ignorance.

"Me either."

"It's been crazy since dad died. On top of everything else, did you know I'm technically on the FBI's most wanted list and have been declared legally dead." Dean laughed heartily.

"Winchester, are you kidding?" Grace shook her head, disbelieving.

"What you live under a rock?"

Grace scoffed, "Apparently? Did Bobby know?"

Dean responded, "Yeah. I thought everyone did."

The next hour passed in a similar fashion. They exchanged stories and their witty banter was back to normal, or it least it seemed that way. As surprised as she was that Dean had called just to chat, she was even more amazed that the conversation had gone this well.

She heard a door shut and rustling around. Dean cleared his throat, "Sam just got back. I'll talk to you soon?"

"Yeah, goodnight Dean. Say hi to Sam for me."

They ended the phone call, but Grace held the phone in her hand.

She was trying not to let her hopes get too high.

OoOoOo

"Anything Ash?" It was a new day at the Roadhouse. Well it had been three days of Grace waiting around. Sometimes she helped Ellen tend the bar or played pool, but even that got to be monotonous as she waited. If anything Grace learned she was a crap bartender.

Ash shrugged, "I looked back as far as I could for any remaining family and I keep getting dead ends. But with so many name changes and so much falsified information, someone was trying to cover their tracks."

"What do you mean?" Grace asked.

"There have been 'misplaced' or 'incorrect' birth certificates to start with. I'm gonna try a few more things." Ash felt stumped.

"So basically, nothing." Grace felt defeated.

"I need a week at the least." Ash spoke confidently.

Grace sighed, "Get to work buddy."

"Oh you have no idea."

OoOoOo

"Leaving so soon? Ellen asked.

Grace nodded, "I think it's best to let Ash work without me breathing down his neck."

Ellen laughed, "It might help. It's been nice having you here, even if it was short."

"Thanks for letting me stay."

"No problem." Ellen hesitated, "Grace, uh I know this won't matter much but I knew your mom from a long time ago."

Grace froze, "You did?"

She nodded, "Ash let it slip what you were digging into and then when he told me, well I felt like you should know."

"You never said anything."

"John asked me not to."

"That seems to be the common theme," Grace paused, "What could you tell me about her?"

Ellen leaned back against the counter behind the boor. She grabbed two beers, even though it was still early afternoon. "Think you could take a seat?" Ellen asked. Grace dropped her bag. The cabin and Nora could wait. Grace took a drink and then turned her attention to Ellen.

"You've seen pictures of her? Your mom?" Ellen asked.

Grace nodded.

Ellen smiled and knelt down out of view. Grace heard a lock click and then metal clank open and close. When Ellen came back into view she handed Grace a polaroid photograph. It was dated May-1982. Barely recognizable were her mother and Ellen standing behind the bar of the Roadhouse. It was clearly a candid picture. Emily Bradley was laughing so hard her eyes were closed and her mouth was open, while Ellen was doubling over. Their hair was teased and makeup was heavy.

Grace could not find words.

Ellen smiled warmly, "We called her Emma around here."

"I never knew."

Ellen took a breath, "She wasn't for this life. She knew that. She was a schoolteacher when she met your dad. Her students were disappearing, it was an Aswang, but they're extinct now apparently. Anyway your dad swooped in and saved the day. That's what she always said."

Grace took a shaky breath, "You should have told me."

"Your mom stayed here after that when your dad would go hunt. And then she started to hunt. When she found out she was pregnant, she got out of the game and went back to teaching. She didn't want this life for you Grace. John knew that and he was trying to keep that promise. But he didn't." Ellen looked away sadly.

"I guess I would be a disappointment then wouldn't I." She asked rhetorically.

"Don't you say that." Ellen's voice rose only slightly.

Grace sighed, "Well Ellen, thank you. I've got somewhere I need to be. I'll be seeing you around."

Ellen tried to say something but Grace left too swiftly.

Grace was feeling the loss of her parents now more than ever.

OoOoOo

After driving and staying overnight in a motel, Grace had made it to her next destination. The drive had somewhat cleared her mind, but now she had to face Nora. The cabin looked the same as it always did, abandoned. Nora's uncle used to use it during the winter, and then he handed the key over to Nora a few years back. Grace leant against her truck as she studied the house. It could really be fixed up into something special, but to Nora it was already everything it needed to be. There was a small statue of an old man and little boy fishing right before the front steps could be reached. Nearly all the paint had been chipped off. An old patio set was on the front porch, but the furniture was not truly reliable. Everything was fairly overgrown in the yard as well. The inside however, Nora kept maintained.

Like clockwork, she heard the sound of tires on gravel. Nora's Jeep came racing down the country road. Grace felt her stomach knot. She was nervous even though she was telling herself not to be.

She watched as the Jeep came to a halt and Nora climbed out. Nora looked different, her blonde hair now cut drastically shorter and her makeup was less bold than usual. She had on brown leather boots that went up to her shins and skinny jeans on. A navy blue vest covered a white long sleeved shirt. It was as if she had stepped out of a magazine and in front of Grace.

Nora eyed her; "I wasn't expecting to see you here." Her tone was distant and cold. Grace bit her lip. It took a lot of pride to admit you were wrong or to say you were sorry, but she valued her friendship with Nora more than she could put into words.

"Wouldn't miss it." Grace offered a slight smile.

Nora crossed her arms, "We haven't talked in months."

Grace nodded, "I wanted to give you space."

Nora raised her eyebrow.

Grace hesitated, "And I wasn't ready. I was, I am embarrassed."

"Why?"

"I know you tried to help and you did, but I let myself get hurt. And then I left without telling you." Grace sincerely spoke.

"You left me a half ass note." Nora inserted.

"Nora, I miss you. I'm so sorry." Grace looked at her.

After what seemed like forever, Nora nodded and went to hug Grace. She hit her like a ton of bricks and Grace had to regain her balance. It was strange, almost unreal. Grace smiled and hugged her back.

"Your hair, you cut it all off!" Grace exclaimed.

"Time for a change. You look better." Nora murmured as she gave Grace a once over.

"Gee thanks."

"Just saying. Let's get inside. We have a ton to catch up on." Nora began to walk back to her car and grab her belongings while Grace did the same.

Grace thought about everything they had to tell each other.

They would be up all night.

OoOoOo

When you walked into the cabin the whole area is open. The kitchen opens up to the living room; the living room opens up to a dining room. Then up the stairs are three bedrooms that Nora and Grace never use. The rooms were for her parents and her, as well as a guest bedroom. The two of them usually put multiple blankets on the ground in front of the fireplace and would sleep there instead.

Nora put two bottles of cheap red wine and one bottle of Fireball whiskey on the coffee table. Grace sat on the floor her duffle bag nestled behind her. Nora didn't say anything as she poured two large cups filled with wine. She handed one to Grace and they did a quick cheers.

"Do you want to go first or should I?" Nora smiled after she took a long sip. Grace felt the warmth settle in her stomach.

"Nora, are you sure we are okay?" Grace had to ask.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I know you feel bad. I also know you moped around because Bobby told me. So let's just try to focus on something else. Now, you or me first?"

Grace would take that as it was. "Okay, I'll start." Grace told her every detail about her parents, John Winchester, and Dean that she could. She talked for over an hour straight. The only thing that she kept to herself was any information regarding Sam's visions. That would remain private. Nora's facial expressions were ever changing as Grace tried to explain and describe everything. Nora was on her third glass of wine by the time Grace finished.

"No fucking way." Nora shook her head.

"Yep." Grace responded nonchalantly.

"John never said anything? God, I mean I know he's gone, but really? He should have told you."

"I wish he would have." Grace took a drink.

"Ash will find something. But this explains so much." Nora said.

"Like what?"

"What a kickass hunter you are, for one. It's in your blood. And of course your parents didn't want you to hunt. What normal person asks for this life?"

"Thanks Nora."

"What I really want to talk about is how Dean Winchester likes you." Nora spoke in a singsong voice. Grace blushed and poured the whiskey into two shot glasses.

"We're just friends." Grace muttered as she handed a glass to Nora. They downed them almost instantly. Nora smiled as Grace shivered.

"Whatever you say. Who knows, maybe old Dean-o is growing up after all." Nora grinned wickedly.

"Doubtful. I'm assuming you and Chase are still going strong?" Grace changed the conversation.

Nora grinned, "Yeah, we're still together. Probably my longest relationship since-"

"David Bishop!" The girls squealed simultaneously. They laughed outright at the memories. David Bishop was the first boy Nora ever dated and they had been together for a year. He had bright red hair and crooked glasses that never sat on his face. He worked at grocery store in Nevada and was technologically savvy, but that was pretty much all there was to him.

Nora's laughing toned down and she began again. "We've been hunting together since Vegas. I know I've said this before, but he could be the one. I really love him." Nora couldn't stop smiling. Grace felt happy for Nora. She was genuinely happy and in love.

"I wanted you to get to know him better. In Vegas." Nora murmured.

"I'll meet him again Nora, don't worry. Again, sorry I was an ass." Grace felt the alcohol beginning to relax her.

"Well, he wants me to meet his mom." Nora said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, his dad died a year ago. He had cancer. So his mom and his older sister are really all he has left."

"Do they know what he does?" Grace was curious.

Nora nodded, "Yes. His dad was a hunter too. They live in San Francisco. I'm actually going to see them in two days."

"I'm happy for you Nora."

"Come with me."

"Nora, I can't."

"Why not? We both know that Ash is busy digging for answers. By the time we're finished in California, he'll be calling. It's perfect." Nora pressed.

"Won't it be weird if I just show up? I mean, we both know I didn't make a good impression with him the first time around." Grace told her.

"He knows how important you are to me. He'll want to try again. Please?" Nora tried.

Grace debated internally and then decided. "I'll go to California with you. But, I won't thirdwheel. We can do dinner or get lunch, but I'm going to give you your space." Grace conceded.

"I wouldn't ask for anything else." Nora said with a serious tone.

Grace chuckled.

"I missed you Grace."

To avoid too sentimental of a moment, Grace made a serious face, "Did you choose to date someone whose name rhymed with mine on purpose?"

Nora's raucous laugh hurt Grace's ears.

OoOoOo

Nora always told a story about her dad falling off a step latter and twisting his ankle. She laughed through it as she described her mom tending to him and what a bad patient he made. She latched onto this certain memory because it was the one time the three of them were consistently at home. Her and her dad would sit on the couch watching an endless supply of westerns.

On the third and final night at the cabin Grace lay on her side away from Nora. Nora was fast asleep; her soft snores were the only sound filling the room. The moonlight offered enough illumination for Grace as she stared at the picture of her mom and Ellen. She could imagine her laughing at the time of this picture. But, she didn't really remember a lot about her parents. The only thing that stuck in her mind was what they did to her while they were possessed.

Those thoughts would never go away.

OoOoOo

Chase was painfully nice, so much so that Grace thought it had to be some sort of façade. He had hugged her when they greeted each other and he spoke so politely it alarmed Grace. But, Nora hung off his every word. Her eyes were fixated on him, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

Grace took another drink as Chase continued a story of when he played football in high school. He truly was a nice guy, but in a way, aside from his hunting, he was boring to Grace.

"I just love this part." Nora gushed.

"And then I ran across the field and scored the winning touchdown." Chase cracked his knuckles and laughed. Grace nodded and finished the vodka soda she had ordered. They had been there for a few hours and Grace was still too sober.

"You were the all star after that I bet." Grace commented just to be a part of the conversation and convey that she was putting in an effort.

Chase shrugged, "Broke my leg and had to quit the season."

"At least you moved onto bigger things babe." Nora murmured lovingly.

"Anyone want another drink?" Grace stood up and asked.

Chase shook his head, "No thank you."

Grace smiled and walked towards the bar. After she ordered herself another drink. She glanced down at her cellphone hoping for a text from Ash. She was anxious and ready to get back. She could be killing her time in a worse way, but the not knowing was gnawing at her.

"Nora's boyfriend looks like he belongs in Pleasantville." A deep, rich voice arose beside her. Grace knew instantly and looked up to see Dean nursing a glass of whiskey. However, something was off. He looked drained and mentally exhausted.

She shook her head, "It's been three damn hours of football stories, I swear. I never thought I'd see you here though."

Dean shrugged, "Full of surprises."

Grace moved beside him and sat on the empty stool. "San Francisco huh?" She asked.

Dean nodded, "Had a hunt."

"Really?"

Dean cleared his throat after he finished his drink and slammed his now empty glass onto the bar, "You wanna get outta here?"

Grace cocked her head to the side,"Dean?"

"I had a crap day. Sam's out and probably won't be back tonight."

"Dean…I'm kind of here with Nora and I promised I would put a little effort into hanging out with her and Chase." Grace hated the sense of loyalty at that moment. She wanted now more than ever to take his hand and leave the bar, but she knew that would only cause problems between her and Nora.

He smiled sadly, but nodded in understanding, "I understand."

She bit her lip as she glanced back to Nora and back to a clearly saddened Dean.

"What motel are you staying at?" Grace asked hurriedly.

Dean looked grateful as he said, "The West Pines Lodge."

"I'm guessing you don't want to come say hi to them, so I can meet you afterwards?" Grace suggested, hoping Dean would take her up on the offer.

Dean nodded in affirmation.

OoOoOo

"Was that Dean?" Nora asked disbelieving as Grace sat back down in the booth, cradling her drink. It felt like her lifeline to save herself from this boring conversation. Grace followed Nora's gaze and saw Dean leaving the bar. She wished she was going with him.

Grace nodded.

"Whose Dean?" Chase asked.

"Just a friend." Grace smiled sweetly.

"He didn't want to stay and chat?" Nora craned her neck a little further as she watched his retreating figure. Grace couldn't blame him, but she just shrugged.

"I think I'll meet up with him later." Grace muttered.

Nora's mouth formed an O shape and her eyes widened, "Please tell me you aren't joking."

"I am. Did you forget about my comedic prowess?" Grace said completely sarcastically and Chase let out a hearty laugh. Grace couldn't help herself smile at him. She felt like she was not going to have any type of earth shattering connection with Chase but, that was not necessarily a bad thing.

Nora pouted, "So hilarious."

Chase kissed her forehead, "It's okay Nors, it was funny. But seriously, enough about me, I know I can be a little bit of a boring storyteller."

Grace had never heard the nickname before, but she could see how Nora immediately softened towards him. _I want that_ , she thought briefly. There was an undeniable chemistry between them, completely reciprocated between the two of them. Grace had never experienced that with anyone.

"You aren't boring! Tell us about the time that you were in Atlanta!" Nora's voice was becoming shrill.

Grace glanced down at her cellphone and checked the time.

Hopefully Dean would still be up when she managed to leave.

OoOoOo

Grace sat in the parking lot of The West Pines Lodge. It had been three hours since she had last seen Dean and she hoped he was still awake. He had texted her his room number, but had not responded when Grace told him he was on the way. She hadn't even gone back to her motel room, she just went straight to Dean.

With a heavy sigh, she made her way to room 11. It had begun to rain just as she she gently knocked on the door army green door. Dean opened the door and seemed relieved to see her. He moved out of the way so that Grace could follow him inside. Sam was nowhere to be seen. One of the beds was unmade, empty take out containers sat on a dinette table.

"Hey, sorry it took so long to get here. I came as soon as I could without being rude." Grace chuckled awkwardly as she sat at the tiny table. She moved the containers away from her as Dean sat on the bed across from her. His eyes were reddened, a little puffy. But Grace said nothing.

Dean ran his hands through his hair, "Thanks for comin' Grace. It's just, we ended up hunting this girl Sam ended up having a thing for. She was a werewolf and uh…he had to kill her."

Grace felt immediately worried and saddened for Sam. "Where is he?" Grace asked quickly.

Dean hesitated, "He uh, he stayed at her apartment for a little bit. I'm not sure where he is now."

Grace sighed, "I'm sorry Dean."

Dean shook his head, "Sorry for what? We're not allowed to have it. Sam can't have it with Madison. I can't have it with you." Dean spoke softly. Grace bit her lip in hesitation, but she moved before him. She knelt so that they were at eye level with one another. Both of her hands rested on Dean's thighs.

"Dean, look at me." Grace spoke softly.

He hesitated, but his eyes pierced hers.

"Sam will be okay, I promise. And you will be too"

Dean scoffed and his eyes flickered away.

"Dean, look at me."

His brilliant green eyes settled upon her.

"Talk to me." She murmured.

Dean tried to smirk, but the sadness ruined it, "We having a moment Gracie?"

Grace smiled, "We could be."

She moved to sit beside Dean, their bodies touching. He remained quiet for a few minutes and then said, "It's not that he had to do it. I don't want…I don't want Sammy to be like me."

"What do you mean?"

"He should have the girl and the job and the fancy car. And every time he finds that it gets ripped away. He's going to think there isn't a normal life out there for him." Dean explained to her.

"You think he wants a normal life?"

Dean sighed, "He used to. Now, now I'm not so sure."

"You have to let him decide what he wants."

Dean paused, and then said, "What if I can't protect him?"

"You'll never stop trying to. You're his big brother." Grace told him gently. Dean looked over at her. His eyes focused on hers and she felt the urge to reach out to him, but she didn't. There was a tension between the two of them.

"How do you know what to say? I mean, when I was nineteen..." Dean trailed off with a shaky laugh.

Grace glanced back at the clock on the nightstand in the room. It was one minute after midnight.

"Technically, I'm twenty now. It's my birthday." Grace motioned at the clock.

Dean's eyes widened, "Your birthday? I didn't know it was your birthday."

She shrugged.

"You never told me that, not even last year." Dean muttered. It was probably the longest he had kept someone like Grace in his life. While she wasn't his girlfriend, she was important to him. And he would be lying if in the back of his mind he didn't fantasize about being able to be with her in every sense possible.

"Birthday's aren't a big deal to me. I get a call or text from Nora and Bobby. John when he was alive. And then it's over." Grace said.

Dean nodded slowly. He took a deep breath and realized that he was beginning to calm down. He knew when Sam got back he would be collected and ready to go onto the next hunt.

"Are you staying with Nora tonight?" Dean asked, not really sure where he was going with the idea swimming around in his mind.

"I don't have to be." Grace chanced a look at Dean.

Dean juggled the options in his head. He knew what he wanted to do but he was not sure if it was right or wrong. He knew Sam would come back eventually, but did it matter?

"You could stay here. With me." Dean suggested.

Grace bit her lip, "If I do, how are you going to be in the morning?" She was not going to tolerate a belligerent Dean being horribly rude to her for no reason. Dean knew exactly to what she was referring to.

"Just like I am now, promise." Dean held up his hands in surrender.

Grace nodded, "I'll stay."

Dean smiled. He moved from the bed and went over to his bag. As he rummaged through it, Grace quickly sent a text to Nora about where she would be.

Staying at the motel w/ Dean. Thnk you for dinner & drinks. Chase is cool. : she typed.

Not a minute later, Nora responded, It's a good thing you two are just friends ;) Love you!

Grace rolled her eyes and put her phone on the nightstand. Dean tossed her one of his shirts. Grace looked at it and back to him. He rubbed the back of his neck, "I know you rushed over here, didn't grab anything. That might be more comfortable. I'll put an extra toothbrush on the sink."

She had never seen Dean like this before. Both of them were now stone cold sober and both seemingly aware that the other was choosing to stay. Grace changed into his shirt quickly, relishing the fact that it still smelt like him. It went to her mid thighs. Grace was silently thankful that she had worn decent underwear. Well, decent enough. She had on a tiny pair of sky blue panties with a delicate white lace trim.

When she walked into the bathroom, Dean was just finishing brushing his teeth. She ignored his gaze and quickly did the same. He was trying not to stare, but he couldn't help himself. Grace turned to him as she was wiping her mouth.

"What?" She asked.

"Just wasn't expecting you to look so good in my shirt." It was the way he spoke that made Grace shiver with excitement. She didn't want to push that conversation that had to label them as something, together or not together. This, she wanted. She wanted to be the person he called when he needed someone and she wanted to stay the night with him.

Grace gave Dean a small grin and she playfully shoved him as she walked past him. Dean couldn't help but smile. Grace stood and looked down at the beds in the room, only two queens. All of Sam's belongings were still on one of the beds.

"Think Sam would care if I moved his stuff?" Grace questioned.

"Grace, just sleep with me."

She raised her eyebrow at him.

"No funny business. I swear." Dean chuckled as he climbed under the covers. Grace lingered and then went to lay underneath the blankets. As she settled and got comfortable, Dean stretched out.

He turned the lights off and turned onto his stomach, his eyes shut. "Thanks for coming Gracie." He whispered after finally relaxing for the first time that day. The muscles in his body finally released all the tension they had been building up throughout the day.

While Dean's eyes were still closed, Grace leant forward. She pressed her lips against his in a quick, gentle kiss. He tasted like minty toothpaste. As she pulled away Dean opened his eyes and stared at her.

"I thought no funny business?" He murmured.

"It was my way of saying your welcome. Night Dean." Grace turned onto her left side and closed her eyes.

She didn't pull away when she felt Dean pull her into his arms.

OoOoOo

Grace awoke alone. She sighed, why had she expected anything different? She extended her arm to the space where Dean had laid. She slowly sat up, her eyes still tired from sleep.

Sam walked out of the bathroom. "Sam, hey." Grace yawned.

"Imagine my surprise when I got back last night and you and Dean were fast asleep. I didn't know you were in town" Sam shook his head.

"Yeah, we're full of surprises. Nothing happened. We just slept. I didn't know you guys were going to be here either."

"I'm digging the Metallica shirt. Dean has one just like it." Sam winked. He turned away while Grace scrambled out of bed and got dressed quickly. She grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair back. Without a word she went to brush her teeth. Sam continued to clean up the room. It looked like he was getting ready to move onto the next place, wherever that would be.

Grace crossed her arms and leaned in the doorway. "How are you Sam? I'm sorry for what happened." She asked softly.

He shrugged, "I'm fine. I found something suspicious in Los Angeles, might be a hunt." Grace could see that he was not going to share and she could not blame him.

"Dean told me about that girl from Illinois...with the visions." Grace murmured.

"Of course he did. No secrets between you two anymore?" Sam asked defensively.

Grace bit the inside of her cheek, "Sam, you can talk to me."

"I think I'll pass this time."

Grace sighed and moved towards the motel door, "I think I'll probably head back to the Roadhouse."

"Not gonna wait for Dean?"

Grace shook her head. Sam gave her a stiff nod.

"It was good to see you, I'm sorry about the circumstances."

"Good to see you too. And happy birthday." Sam looked at her, sincerity finally reaching his eyes and voice.

"How'd you know?"

"Dean mentioned it this morning before he took off. You know he'll be back soon."

Grace shrugged, "I think this way is better."

After a quick hug, Grace left the motel. It was hard not to be disappointed. Something about last night had felt different. She thought that things had changed. It was another crazy coincidence of running into Dean Winchester in some random place. Her throat tightened, but she told herself that she was not going to let herself cry over Dean. Not anymore.

Just as she was about to pull out of the parking lot, the Impala pulled up as Dean expertly parked. Grace took a breath and got ready to smile. Dean jumped out of the car and rushed towards her. He looked like he had been frantic all morning. It was difficult to be angry when she saw his face and frazzled expression. She rolled the window down as he approached.

"You leavin' already?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, time to head back. Sam's in there though." Grace forced a smile.

"Yeah, he came in last night. Saw him this morning too. You weren't going to wait for me to get back?" Dean asked. Grace felt a wave of guilt.

"I didn't know when you'd be back." Grace tried to be as honest as she could be.

Dean didn't believe her. He cleared his throat and grabbed a small black box that had been in his leather jacket. He handed it to Grace. She stared at it.

"What?"

"I left this morning to get you this. You know, for your birthday." Dean gave her a smile that made her knees weak. She couldn't believe what she was hearing or seeing. This seemed was out of character for Dean. She immediately felt ridiculous for making such quick assumptions.

Grace took the small box and opened it. Inside was a black leather bracelet with an anti-possession charm and a dangling aquamarine gemstone. It was simple, but it shocked Grace. It was truly beautiful. She looked up at Dean and could not help but smile.

"Dean…you didn't have to do this," she paused, "Isn't this the charm that Bobby gave you?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah, but I don't need it anymore. Figured it would help you more than me."

"But what about you?"

Dean chuckled and pulled down a corner of his shirt. Grace gasped when she saw the anti-possession charm tattooed on his chest. The ink was freshly black, the skin around it still a little red. "Dean Winchester. You got a tattoo?" Grace covered her mouth but could not hide her smile.

Dean nodded, "Sam got one too, figured this would be easier."

Grace laughed, "Dean I love it." He didn't know if she was referring to the bracelet or his tattoo, but he accepted both with pride.

"It's your birthstone too I think. That's what the lady at the mall said." She could not imagine Dean at a shopping mall, let alone buying jewelry. It was almost comical.

She shook her head, "Thank you."

Dean thought it was worth looking like a jackass at the jewelry counter to see her smile. She immediately slid it onto her left wrist. Dean watched as she admired it, her fingers tracing the leather band on her wrist. He took a step closer and took her wrist in his hands.

"Looks good on you." He said softly.

"Better than your t-shirt?" Grace grinned.

Dean tilted his head; "I'll get back to you on that. I'm sorry I left this morning. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well you did." Grace responded.

And then she felt her phone loudly vibrating in her back pocket. Dean took a step back, "You should answer it."

Grace internally cursed and answered the phone without looking at the caller ID.

"Grace, it's Ash. I got some information. You might want to get over here whenever you can." Ash told her.

Grace looked to Dean, "I'm heading your way."

Dean hid his disappointment. He knew she was on a different type of hunt. She had to find out about her family and the demon or demons that destroyed it. He understood how that felt all too well. But, part of him hoped she might want to tag along on the next hunt.

Grace ended the call and let out a sigh, "I guess I really need to be getting on the road now. Long drive."

Dean nodded, "I'll call you, okay?"

Grace nodded.

She hoped he would.


	16. Chapter 15

**IMPORTANT** : Before reading, please know that I've gone back to a few chapters and edited certain aspects. The biggest change is that Grace does know about the other people with psychic abilities like Sam. I just didn't want anyone to be confused reading this chapter.

The chapters I made slight edits to are chapters 12 and 15 if anyone is interested in reiterating. I wanted everything to flow better. I've been writing this story since 2015 and I didn't like how I wrote certain aspects so I added more details.

Thank you to all of those reading still. Writing this story has been very cathartic and enjoyable for me

Enjoy!

OoOoOo

Grace sat dumbfounded on the rickety old barstool at the Roadhouse. She had driven nearly nonstop and was exhausted, but the desire to discover what Ash had found prevailed. Her fingers absent-mindedly traced the charm of her new bracelet as she admired the way it hung against her wrist. She had a fleeting thought that she would never take it off.

Ash sat beside her and let out a sigh, "You know it's easier if you open the envelope." Ash had very professionally compiled everything into an envelope the size of a folder. He did not verbalize any information he had uncovered nor did he indicate whether what he found was helpful or harmful.

Grace sideways glanced at him and then took the envelope between her fingers. With a huff she pulled out the first piece of paper that was on top of the thick stack. Ash had assumed that would be the first thing she would do. He took a giant gulp from his beer and motioned for Ellen to give him a quick refill. Ellen rolled her eyes at him as she leant against the bar.

Anxious eyes skimmed the bold print. Grace gasped, "No way."

"Way." Ash nodded confidently.

Emily Bradley had a sister, Lynn Yeates, who was very much alive. There was a picture clipped to the corner of the piece of paper depicting Lynn holding a small toddler with messy black hair. Grace thought it could have been her, but she quickly realized the child was a little boy. She somehow managed a smile. Lynn looked like her mother plain and simple. It occurred to Grace that all these photos she kept seeing were of much happier times. There was comfort in knowing that her parents at least seemed like they were genuine people.

"Did you know?" Grace looked up to Ellen.

Ellen frowned, "I never knew. Emma talked about someone named Lynn, but I always assumed it was a friend. Never met her, never asked."

"She's older than your mom would have been." Ash inserted.

"Whose this?" She pointed to the little boy. There was irony in asking Ash, a complete stranger to these people, who these images were depicting. Grace felt almost silly, but she was too excited and relieved that there was something tangible.

"Jack Yeates. He's her son with a man named Peter Noland. They got divorced shortly after your parents' death. She remarried one Garret Yeates." Ash explained.

Grace muttered, "That can't be a coincidence. What happened to Peter?"

Ash shrugged, "I'm still looking into him."

"How old is Jack?" Grace asked out of curiosity.

"Fifteen, going on sixteen real soon." Ash told her. Grace didn't remember the people in this picture and she didn't know if she had even ever met them.

"Is this all you got?" Grace looked at Ash.

Ash let out a scoff, "Excuse me? With what I had to look into in the first place this is brilliant-"

Grace cut him off, "No, no Ash this is better than anything I could have imagined. I'm asking because I need to leave to meet them, not because I'm not impressed."

Appeased, Ash visibly relaxed, "They live in Palos Park, Illinois."

"Palos Park?" Grace had never heard of it.

"Real classy neighborhood, very affluent."

"How did that happen?" Grace asked.

"She worked as a teller at a bank. That's where she met her current husband."

Grace stared at the picture a little longer and set it aside. She pulled out some stacks of papers that mainly seemed to consist of bank statements, certificates, and few photographs. She stopped at a set of coordinates, '38.9717° N, 95.2353° W'. It was printed and written in multiple spots.

"Where's this?" Grace asked.

Ash clucked his tongue, "Lawrence Kansas."

Grace, now confused, turned to Ash. "Why is it scribbled all over the place?"

Ash shrugged, "Don't know. Never been there."

"Yeah well I have." Grace pushed the papers back in the envelope. She never wanted to go back to Lawrence and she had no idea what could possibly be there for her. The last time she had been there, the demon was there. Sam almost got himself killed. Grace didn't want to go back. For now, it seemed that the most promising lead would be to go to Illinois.

Ellen dried a glass and set it in a drying rack as she said, "What do you plan to do now?"

"First I'm gonna sleep and then head out. It's not a short drive to Illinois." Grace felt the exhaustion hit her and adrenaline drain out. She had driven too long to get here and it would be dangerous to go back out on the road already.

"Sounds good to me." Ash muttered, almost a slur.

Ellen wearily agreed.

OoOoOo

"Got a bad feeling about this one Grace." Bobby muttered. Grace sat cross-legged in the back bedroom at the Roadhouse. She had called Bobby to let him know what was happening. She imagined that he was sitting on the front porch, beer in hand.

Grace looked up at the ceiling, "But I don't know what else to do."

"Don't go to Lawrence."

"Bobby…I'm not going right now."

"That place has brought too much trouble and grief upon everybody."

"I'll keep you posted on everything." Grace promised.

"I want you to come home." Bobby said so softly, Grace barely heard him.

She felt sadness as she realized that Bobby was probably just as lonely as he was concerned. If Ash hadn't found out anything at all perhaps Grace would consider going back to Bobby's but not right now.

"Soon as I can, okay?" Grace tried to appease him.

"Okay, kid, okay."

OoOoOo

The hours Grace spent on the road and the night in the shoddy motel were not enough time to process that she was actually going to meet a blood relative. She had updated Nora and Dean where she was heading and why. Nora had been excited and encouraging, while Dean was cautious. She had pushed all the thoughts of her conversation with

In all honesty, Grace was not sure what to think. On one hand she was nervous. This was her mother's sister, yes, but why had she never reached out to Grace? Where had she been all these years? Grace kept repeating to herself, blood doesn't mean family. She did not want to leave Palos Park disappointed.

Now Grace stood before one of the biggest houses she had ever seen. She was honestly surprised there wasn't a gate guarded by security. White stones and black windowpanes stared back at her. Perfectly trimmed and vibrant green bushes lined the house. The lawn had been recently mowed, but it looked like no one lived there if you ignored the silver Lexus parked in the circular drive. A stone fountain was placed in the middle of the drive. It was like the home should have been on the cover of an HGTV magazine. It was too grand for Grace's taste.

Grace sighed and hopped out of her truck. She felt slightly sick to her stomach as she approached the front door. There was an intercom beside the door. Grace scoffed softly as she gently pressed the green button on the intercom. She was stepping into a completely different world.

"Yes?" An impatient, feminine voice interrupted the shrill ring.

"Hi, um, is Lynn Yeates here?" Grace hated that her voice sounded so shaky.

"Speaking."

Grace felt a pang of frustration, "This is Grace Bradley. Your niece."

The call immediately dropped. Grace crossed her arms and waited. It was the reaction she had expected. The door opened swiftly exposing who she assumed was Lynn. She wore a flowing black maxi dress that looked like it was made of silk. Her hair was dark and expertly styled to flow around her shoulders. Lynn looked like her mother and it stunned her. It was like seeing a ghost. She shook her head. This woman had no warmth to her, not like Emily Bradley did. Grace felt safe around her mother, well before the end.

"Well I've been waiting for you." Lynn smiled somewhat tersely. She left the door open, Grace followed in. She wondered if she should take off her boots but didn't. The inside of the house was just as immaculate as the exterior.

"What do you mean?" Grace felt out of place as she followed Lynn. Everything in the house was clean and white. It looked like no one actually lived there. She didn't even want to sit down on the cream colored sofa. There were no pictures on the walls, only a fireplace and a few scattered plants acted as decorations. Lynn poured what Grace assumed was scotch into a crystal glass. Grace couldn't ignore the massive diamond ring on her ring finger. Her fingernails were perfectly manicured. Already, Grace could tell this was not the reunion she had been expecting.

Grace sat just as Lynn said, "I always assumed you'd find me."

"You knew where I was? That I was alive?" Grace felt a strange sense of betrayal. Of course she did, Grace chastised herself, she was her niece after all.

"John told me." Lynn studied her, watching her reactions.

Grace stiffened, but remained quiet.

"I thought that he would be able to protect you more than I ever could. It wasn't easy for anyone to decide what to do." She spoke softly.

"Well you seem to be doing alright." Grace responded.

Lynn nodded slowly, "Yes, I think so."

"Where's Jack?" Grace asked.

Lynn spoke evenly, trying to feign surprise that Grace knew her sons name. "It's one in the afternoon on a Thursday. He's at school."

There was a silence in the air. This was not what Grace had expected at all. This wasn't the happy reunion she had foolishly imagined. How could she be so naïve? It felt like she and Lynn were pitted against each other, but Grace had no idea why. She had seemingly upset her aunt before she even walked in the door.

"So Grace, why are you here? Really."

"It's not enough to want to meet my only living family members?" Grace raised her eyebrow.

Lynn frowned, "I think we both know there's more to it than that."

"Were you two close?" Grace didn't know where to begin.

Lynn took a breath, "Yes."

"Did you hunt with her?" Grace asked.

Lynn crossed her arms, "Yes. I introduced her to your dad and John both."

Grace frowned, "I didn't know that."

"There's a lot you don't know." Lynn muttered.

"So you hunted?"

Lynn hesitated, "That's not me anymore. I've done a lot to leave that world behind. I want you to understand that."

Grace nodded, "I know." She could not imagine this pristine woman hunting. Hunting was a dangerous and dirty gig. Lynn looked like she'd faint if she broke a nail.

"I feel as if I have disappointed you." Lynn murmured.

Grace attempted to be polite, "It's not that. I just wanted to know more about my parents. I've been trying to find answers for a long time."

Lynn nodded slowly, "Emily was very young and carefree. Very naïve. Even when she learned about what's really out there. That's why everyone loved her so much. She was good, plain and simple. She shouldn't have been hunting and that's my fault."

"How'd you know my dad? And John?" Grace tried.

Lynn finished her drink and sighed, "Wrong place wrong time. Of course back then I thought I was untouchable. John had a way of making you feel invincible. I hunted with them. Your mom was teaching at the time and the opportunity for a hunt arose and the rest is history. She and your father were inseparable. That was a lifetime ago it feels like. We were all young and very dumb."

"John never mentioned you." Grace said.

Lynn's façade faltered, but only slightly. She stood up slowly, "Well I don't think he would. I'm sure he's the same now as he was back then."

Grace looked at the ground, "John died."

Lynn stiffened, her back to Grace. It was clear that Lynn had not known this. Grace cleared her throat and stood. Whoever this woman was before her was not who she had expected. It was just another roadblock. Maybe it was time to move on?

"I had no idea." She spoke softly.

"Yeah." Grace whispered.

With a new drink in hand Lynn came to sit beside her. She sat closer than she had before and stared at Grace. Her eyes were an oaky brown with wrinkles branching off around them.

Grace cleared her throat, "Did you spend any time in Lawrence?"

Lynn stiffened, "No, why would you ask that?"

"I'm just curious, trying to figure out how everything is connected."

"I want you to listen to me Grace. This isn't the life for you. Hunting. It's a miserable, miserable existence. The losses you've already had to face…you'll be alone for the rest of your life. Trust me."

Grace sat stunned. The words stung. She had a dozen other questions circling in her head, but her mouth had gone dry. Lynn had taken Grace's hands, squeezing them. Grace could feel the desperation seeping from her.

Lynn continued, "I don't know if you even graduated high school, but get an education. Get married to a good man. Leave this life behind. You won't find any answers. All you'll do is be putting yourself in danger. It's every man for himself hunting. Get out," she paused, "I'm sorry."

Grace didn't know what she was apologizing for.

And in that moment she didn't care.

Grace stood up abruptly, "I'm sorry I bothered you. I have to go."

OoOoOo

Grace lay on the old, lumpy bed in her motel room. Mentally, she felt numb. What had been the point of the last 48 hours? She felt the sting of rejection as she turned onto her side.

She kept thinking the same thoughts over and over.

Maybe it was time to move on and forget.

With a heavy sigh Grace leant over the side of the bed and rummaged through her old duffle bag. She grabbed her laptop and quickly opened it. She felt anxious as she waited for a connection to the Internet. Maybe Lynn was right? Her love for hunting had been waning lately all on it's own, Bobby missed her, and she wasn't sure what she felt.

She quickly searched the community college near Bobby's.

A little information couldn't hurt.

OoOoOo

Grace awoke suddenly to her phone blaring loudly. The sun had not risen yet and sleep called back for Grace. She clumsily searched for her phone and answered it quickly, her eyes still closed.

"Hello?" She answered sleepily.

"Grace? It's Sam. Look I'm sorry for calling but I need your help." Sam spoke earnestly.

Like cold water was poured over her, Grace sat up and turned on the lamp beside the bed she was sleeping in. "What's going on Sam?" She was alerted by his tone of voice and she was worried that Sam had been hurt or something else much worse.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I'm in Illinois."

"Where at in Illinois?" Sam's voice was more urgent now.

Grace, growing frustrated, responded, "I don't know, uh Orland Park?" She hadn't wanted to stay in the town her aunt lived in. And she had contemplated driving further, but ended up staying in a motel nearby. She could hear Sam clicking away on his keyboard and he exclaimed when he realized where her location was.

"Dean and I are hunting a djin. He went to one of the location we were suspecting and there's only two we had left. I don't know if I'll make it to both in time. Can you help?" Sam explained so quickly, but Grace didn't try to process it.

"Text me the address. I'll be wherever it is soon."

Grace was out of bed and dressed in a record time.

OoOoOo

Grace had driven well over the speed limit to Dean's possible location. She hadn't really given herself time to think as she quietly moved down the hallway. She listened for any sound, any movement, but nothing came. Finally she arrived in an open room with Dean and an unknown girl hanging from the ceiling, their hands bound above their heads. She was dirty, her white dress completely soiled. It looked as if she had been strung up for weeks, while Dean on the other hand, looked as if he were sleeping. His face was soft and serene. He was a world away. Grace put two fingers to the vein in Dean's neck. Relief washed over her when she felt his faint pulse.

"Dean, it's Grace. I've got you, okay? I'm here." She murmured softly to him as she inspected the ties holding him up. Then she went to check on the girl.

She was so focused she didn't even hear the djin come up behind her.

And then there was darkness.

OoOoOo

Warm arms enveloped her from behind shaking her from sleep. She shot up and away from whoever had been holding her. All she could think about was Dean. Was she okay? Had she helped him in time? Realization hit that she was in a bed with only a think sheet and blanket covering her. A gentle touch to her shoulder caused her to jerk away.

"Gracie? Did you have a nightmare?" Dean's smooth voice brought her back to reality. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark and she could make out Dean's body. He didn't have any clothes on either from what she could see. His body was completely flawless. She stared at him.

He sat up and put his hand on her cheek, "Babe?"

Grace cleared her throat, "Dean…Dean?"

Dean laughed and nodded, "What's gotten into you?"

Grace attempted to laugh, "Just…what are we doing here?"

Dean glanced back at the alarm clock. Blaring red numbers read back that it was one in the morning. Dean turned on the bedside lamp. Grace looked around. They were in someone's bedroom in a giant king sized bed. The walls were painted a greyish blue, a matching hardwood dresser and nightstand were placed in the room. A pile of clothes was in front of the door. She assumed it had to be hers and Deans. A small flat screen TV was before them.

"Sleeping?" Dean guessed.

Grace nodded urgently, "Are you okay?"

Confusion washed across his face. Grace internally cursed as she began to realize where she actually was. The djin must have gotten to her. She shook her head as she gathered up the bottom sheet and began to wrap herself in it. She noticed that her skin was completely clear, no proof of any previous hunts or violence. There were no scars or bruises. There was no indication that she had ever been a hunter. This wasn't right, whatever this was. She stood out of bed and took a few steps back from the bed. Dean stayed in bed. She could not help but stare at him, his body on display for her. She saw every part of him and she couldn't help herself as her eyes lingered.

"Dean?"

"Come back to bed." Dean patted the space beside him. She sighed and looked around the room. Where was she? How did she get out? Without another word Grace left the bedroom. She knew that she was in a house; it must be a place that they share together. It was well decorated and homey. Grace came to a halt as she saw one of the framed pictures hung up on the wall in the hallway.

Her mother and father, both older then she ever got to see them age to, stood in front of a large oak tree, with Grace right in the middle of them. She was in a cap and gown; her parents were oozing pride and happiness. Grace felt her chest tighten as she brought her hands up to cover her mouth in awe. They were alive?

Dean came behind her and nuzzled her neck, "Reminiscing on the high school days?"

Grace shook her head, because she couldn't form words.

Dean tilted his head back and said, "Ah, I get it. You're nervous about graduation this time around. Gracie don't be nervous. I'll be there and so will our parents and we'll be cheering you on the whole time."

Grace turned to face Dean, "What? What are you talking about?"

"You're college graduation? You're accelerated program finally coming to a close?" Dean tried to smile, but he looked too concerned.

"No, our parents? What do you mean?"

"Well Emily and Henry…my dad? Grace, I'm confused."

Grace was in such a state of shock she couldn't even tell she was crying. Dean leant down automatically and wiped her tears away with his thumb. Grace took a shaky breath and stared at Dean.

"I know you're overwhelmed, but it's gonna be okay."

"I want to go see them." Grace said quickly.

Dean looked at a small clock on the wall in the hallway, "Babe, it's two am. They're asleep."

Grace was determined as she walked back to the bedroom, "I don't care. I'm going."

Dean followed her, frenzied, "Okay, I'll drive us over there."

"Where do they live?" Grace asked as she searched through some of the dresser drawers and pulled on some underwear and jeans. Dean tossed her a shirt and she pulled it on as he finished getting dressed as well.

"The same house you grew up in. Only a few blocks away." Dean explained to her as they made their way through the house. Grace tried to ignore the pictures of her and Dean that were scattered through the house. There were half empty glasses of wine on the coffee table and the television was still on. But, Grace could only focus on her heart racing as they walked out the front door. The impala was parked out front right on the street.

Grace climbed into the passenger seat and tapped her foot impatiently. This was not real, none of it, but it felt real. She knew that she was lying on the cement floor in front of Dean's dangling body or being strung up like the rest of them. But it didn't matter. She had to take this opportunity.

Dean put his hand on Grace's upper thigh like he had done it one hundred times before. She wanted to see her parents in the flesh, even if it wasn't real. She wanted to hear their voices and touch them. This world, where she and Dean were apparently together and their family members were still living. It was too perfect and unrealistic.

"You know I'm here for you okay?" Dean murmured.

"I know." She gently placed her hand over his.

"Gracie, I love you, but you're scaring me." Dean said gently.

Grace felt her heart thump and stomach tighten.

"What did you just say?" She whispered.

Dean was about to respond when the girl who had been hung beside him appeared in the middle of the road.

Grace screamed, and pointed ahead.

Dean swerved off the road.

OoOoOo

"Grace? Grace, wake up." Sam's voice rang through her ears. She was on a bed in an unfamiliar room and her head was throbbing. She saw Dean standing on the opposite side of the room. Sam grabbed her hand and helped her up to a sitting position. The room spun slowly around her. When had they even left the abandoned warehouse?

She brought her hand up to her head and felt the egg sized bump that had formed. She hissed and drew her hand away. Sam seemed relieved, "About time you woke up."

Grace sighed, "Before I met you two…man I never let anything get the one on up me. Now I'm getting knocked out all the time." She was joking of course, making light of the situation. Sam chuckled. But Dean did not.

"Where's that girl? Is she okay?"

Sam knelt before her, "Yeah she's okay. We took her to a hospital."

"Jesus, how long have I been out?" Grace winced as Sam gently inspected her. Dean's arms were crossed as he scowled at the two of them. Sam muttered something about it only being forty-five minutes, but he was concerned.

"Damn it I left some pain meds for your head in the car. I'll be back in a second."

"Wait is my truck here?" Grace grabbed Sam's wrist, effectively stopping him.

"I drove it back." Dean muttered.

"Thank you." Grace whispered as her fingers fell away from Sam. She watched as the younger Winchester left the room leaving only her and Dean. His eyes lingered on Grace.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked steadily.

"Yeah, I'm okay. This is what I get for trying to be the hero."

"What did you see?" Dean asked abruptly.

Grace couldn't help but smile, even if the false memories made her feel worse. "I was surrounded by people who loved me," She paused, "What about you?"

Dean hesitated, "Something that doesn't exist." A flash of disappointment shone through for a brief moment. Grace could only imagine what Dean's fantasies were in regards to a perfect life. She imagined his parents being alive, probably not hunting anymore. She thought back to what he had said in Oregon and she knew that Dean was starting to feel the weight of everything. She watched him as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Grace gently, reassuringly squeezed his hand before she scooted down the bed further and turned to lay her head on the pillow. For a brief moment she wondered if Dean had seen her in any capacity.

"I've never seen you knocked out like that before."

Grace frowned, "I'm sorry."

"I don't ever want to see you hurt." He murmured.

Sam came in holding a brown paper bag and immediately handed Grace two tiny white pills. She saw that he had carried in one of her bags that contained her clothes and toiletries. Grace took them and washed them down with a small cup of water that had been by the bedside.

"Aren't you guys tired?" She asked.

Sam nodded, "Yeah…just didn't know if you were staying or where…"

"She's staying here." Dean cut in.

Grace yawned, "Well then I guess that settles it." Grace strained as she moved to get up, Dean moved quickly to help her to her feet.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Grace groaned as she grabbed a change of clothes and her toothbrush.

A hot shower was much needed.

OoOoOo

Dean paced back and forth in the motel room while Sam pretended not to watch. "Sam, why'd you call her?" Dean bit out.

"I was worried. And I called Ash, he told me Grace was in Illinois. I knew she was close by."

"You put her in danger." Dean ground out.

Sam frowned, "I thought I would need her help. I never wanted her to get hurt. And she's okay."

"This time." Dean muttered.

"I've never seen you like this man."

Dean hated this feeling. The overprotectiveness, the anger, it was overwhelming him. On top of everything else, now he had to deal with this. These feelings had come out of nowhere it seemed like, but when he saw Grace lying on that cement floor, something inside of him snapped. He knew she hadn't been dead and he didn't want to imagine a scenario where she was.

"Dean?" Sam's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What?" He asked, unable to control his irritation.

"Are you okay man?" Sam tried.

Then Grace walked out of the bathroom, her hair already brushed out and dressed in plaid pajamas. Sam and Dean hadn't even heard the shower turn off. She smiled at the brothers and set her other belongings back in her bag.

"Everything okay?" Grace asked.

Dean nodded, "Yeah, I'm just gonna shower."

"Alrighty then." Grace muttered under her breath as Dean moved past her. She really couldn't understand why he was acting as angrily as he was. His eyes revealed how exhausted he was. Concern was written all over his face.

"I'll talk to him in the morning Sam." Grace said so that only he could hear.

Sam nodded.

OoOoOo

Grace woke in Dean's arms, something that she was starting to look forward to. She hadn't even felt him when he got into bed last night. Without waking him, grace turned to face Dean who was fast asleep. She gingerly brought her fingers to his face and lightly traced the lines of his face. His breathing remained even and his eyes stayed closed. She was worried about him and wanted to talk to him, an actual conversation. But, her track record of emotional conversations with Dean weren't great and she did not want to push him away.

Grace maneuvered out of his grasp and set her feet on the poorly carpeted floor. Her head was still throbbing and the emptiness of her stomach became more evident. She looked up to see Sam reading in the corner of the room, his hair still damp. Despite the night that she had, Grace felt wide-awake.

She slowly moved over to Sam and put her hand and on his shoulder. He looked up, "What's up?"

"Let's go get breakfast." Grace invited.

Sam put his book on the table, "You gonna wake up Dean?"

Grace looked back at Dean and shook her head, "Just us. He needs to rest anyway."

Sam seemed pleasantly surprised.

OoOoOo

Like every other small town in America, there was a diner that had been there for at least thirty years. Grace always seemed to be able to find them with ease. She and Sam were already seated in a cracked red faux leather booth. They both had a cup of black coffee with food on the way.

Sam looked at Grace and couldn't help but feel comfortable. She was a part of his life and he was happy she was around, even if they didn't get to see each other nearly as often. He was curious what she was up to.

"Thanks for coming so fast last night." Sam genuinely spoke.

"I was close by, no need to worry about it."

"Yeah, Ash told me that you had come to Illinois."

"You called Ash?"

"I knew you were going to the Roadhouse and I just hoped you were close enough by, but I was just lucky I guess." Sam smiled politely.

Grace shrugged, "Yeah I guess you were."

"Any luck?" Sam asked.

"He found that my mom's older sister is alive. She has a son too, a few years younger than me. Lynn and Jack." Grace felt strange talking about it out loud, but she knew she needed to get it off her chest.

It had not felt like she was talking to a family member. Lynn had said a lot of things she had heard from Bobby, and at some point's, even John. The majority of her early adolescent years were spent with Bobby going back and forth between encouraging hunting to trying to bar her from it. There were only a few instances where John had questioned if it was the lifestyle for her. Ultimately it had been her decision, however, Lynn's words were sticking with her more now than ever before.

Sam's eyes widened and he excitedly said, "Grace, that's incredible!"

Grace did not feel as giddy about it that Sam did and it was obvious. Sam's smile faltered, "Or it wasn't."

"I don't know Sam. She is so far removed from this life, you know, with hunting. She took a lot of time covering her tracks. I mean you should see where she's living. It doesn't even look like she knows how to hold a gun, let alone be a full fledged hunter." Grace took a drink of her coffee.

"She was a hunter?"

"Yeah, a long time ago. Everyone was apparently. I don't really know what to do now. It seems like I'm at a dead end. I have all these questions still, but at this point I'm wondering if knowing anything will make a difference." Grace vented.

"It will."

"Sam, I had this dream awhile ago, my parents were up talking with someone and I was a little girl eavesdropping. They were talking about stopping something with somebody, but I don't know who."

"It was a dream Grace."

"Was it?" She countered, grasping at straws.

"Well you never mentioned Jack's dad. Is he still around?" Sam tried once more to show an ounce of hope.

Grace shook her head, "A guy named Peter Noland, she divorced him. Ash hasn't found anything about him yet."

At lack of news, Sam sighed, "When did our lives becomes such a mess?"

"Who knows?" Grace attempted to smile. She wondered if trying to talk to her aunt again or finding her ex husband would it even be helpful at this point. It had consistently been dead ends leading to more unanswered questions. Even if anyone knew anything, no one wanted to talk about it. It was as if everything that happened back then had just vanished.

Grace paused, "What about you? How's everything going?"

Sam's smile faltered slightly, but he regained composure quickly. "I don't know. My headaches are getting worse. Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy. Did Dean tell you about Ava?" Sam questioned.

"The girl with visions? He never told me her name." Grace answered honestly.

Sam took a drink of his coffee and sighed, "I just wonder where she disappeared to. I just want to understand what everything means, you know? I can't piece this all together though. Forget talking to Dean about any of it, most of the time he shuts down." Sam admitted.

"Dean worries about you because you're his little brother," Grace began and Sam rolled his eyes, "But, I get why you can't talk to him. I wish I had answers. At least we Ash digging around for us. If anyone can figure it out, he can."

Just then the waitress came by and set their plates on the table. She grinned at the both of them as she set the to-go order for Dean on the table. Grace's stomach growled as she eyed the scrambled eggs and bacon on her plate. She glanced at Sam who had already begun eating. Grace thought back to when she had first met him in John's motel room in Jericho. He had seemed so young then and now he looked more tired and anxious. But Sam was trying to hide that. She couldn't imagine what he was like when he was away from this lifestyle

Grace cleared her throat, "How did you know that you didn't want to hunt? You know, when you left for Stanford."

Sam raised his eyebrows and sat back a little bit. This was a topic he hadn't thought of in a long time, especially with what his life had become. He seemed to hesitate and Grace felt guilty for brining up an obviously sore subject, especially after he laughed awkwardly.

"I thought we were crazy growing up." Sam muttered.

"You did?"

"Yeah. I mean the monsters, moving around all the time, the weapons; it wasn't normal. I wanted to help people growing up, but I thought that there were better ways to do it. I thought about being a police officer." Sam chuckled.

"No you didn't." Grace couldn't help but laugh.

He nodded, "Yeah, I mean it seemed plausible at the time. Then law school just popped up and I met Jess. She made it seem like I had made all the right choices."

Grace bit her lip, "So you wanted to be normal?"

"I wanted to not feel like my life was in danger constantly. I wanted stability."

Grace knew she loved hunting, but her mind was in other places. Had she used hunting as a way to be closer with John? She and Nora had built their friendship on hunting. And Grace would be lying if she didn't think this lifestyle brought her closer to Sam and Dean. But she was tired. And maybe it was time for something new.

"I've never seen you so hesitant before." Sam said softly.

"I don't know what to do."

"What would you do if you weren't doing this?" Sam tried.

Grace let out a breath, "Well, I'm not sure. I like helping people too, maybe nursing? There's a community college close to Bobby's, I could take a few classes and see if I'm even a good student." Grace felt unsure as she spoke, but it admittedly felt like a weight off her shoulders.

"Grace, that's awesome."

"You think?" She looked at him.

Sam smiled, "Yes, of course."

Grace became slightly embarrassed, "I mean, I don't know if any of this is realistic."

"You talk to Dean about this yet?" Sam couldn't help but ask. He thought of when he left for Stanford and how Dean had reacted back then. It was more obvious now than ever that Dean had feelings for her and Sam was curious to see how Dean would've reacted.

Grace shook her head, "No? Should I?"

Sam shrugged, "Seems like something that would come up."

Grace let out a breath, "Come on Sam…"

"What you guys aren't into labeling things?" He chided.

Grace only smiled as she continued to eat. She enjoyed lighthearted Sam.

"Just admit you like him. I won't say anything to him." Sam grinned.

"Yeah, okay Sam."

"Please?" Sam pressed.

"Nothing I say leaves this table?" Grace looked up and feigned complete innocence.

Sam eagerly nodded.

"Okay, I don't know when it happened or why and I never imagined I would begin to feel this strongly about…bacon." Grace laughed as she bit into a piece of bacon that had been on her plate. Sam rolled his eyes, but his amused facial expression betrayed him. He picked up a piece of bacon and playfully chucked it at her.

Grace screeched, "Sam! Don't waste it!"

It was enough in the moment to just enjoy the laughter.

OoOoOo

Grace tossed her bag into the passenger seat and slammed the truck door shut. She was headed back to Bobby's, who knew for how long. Her mind was a mess. She thought driving would at least clear her head a little bit and seeing Bobby would help her come to a decision.

"Where ya headed?" Dean asked as he walked up behind Grace. She tossed a glance back at him and turned to face him. When she and Sam had gotten back from breakfast, Dean was still asleep. Grace had packed her few things that had been brought to the motel. Once Dean woke up, he ate and she said her goodbyes.

"Bobby's I think." Grace leant against the passenger door of her truck.

"Got a hunt lined up?" Dean asked

Grace shook her head, "Not this time."

"You know you never told me how it went with your aunt." Dean reminded her.

Grace was surprised he had brought it up. She sighed, "Well it went horribly. She is not a part of this world and she wants nothing to do with me."

"She didn't have any good information? Any leads?" Dean was frustrated for her, but wanted to remain hopeful.

Grace shook her head, "No, not really. Gave me some clarity though."

"How do you mean?"

Grace looked down at her tattered converse and let out a breath. She didn't necessarily want to have this conversation now. She knew Dean was under a lot of stress and pressure, plus she had no idea how he was handling his run in with the djin. But instead of avoiding the tough conversation, she began to open up to him.

"Remember back in Oregon, when you said you were getting kind of tired of all of this?" Grace asked full well knowing the answer.

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, "Grace, that was just talk. I thought Sam was dying, I don't know."

Grace nodded, "I feel that way right now."

"C'mon Gracie, you don't feel that way." Dean murmured. In his mind, she was still too young and did not fully comprehend everything about hunting and what came along with it just yet. He knew she was discouraged, sure, but he did not think she was ready to throw in the towel.

"I do. Bobby misses me at home. Lynn thinks it's pointless and dangerous." Grace tried to explain, but Dean interrupted her.

"Well what the hell does Lynn know? She doesn't know what this job takes." Dean was getting angry as he thought of Grace giving up so soon.

"She used to hunt with my parents and John. She knows. I mean it's not what I wanted to hear, but maybe she's right. I keep getting disappointed repeatedly. I spend the majority of my day in my truck or a crappy, run down motel room and then I'm just let down." Grace felt herself starting to lose control of the façade she did not know she had been putting up.

Dean took a step closer to her, "She knew Dad?"

"Yeah, she didn't have much to say about him."

Dean looked away and scoffed, "So what? You just stop hunting?"

Grace didn't know what to say.

"You walk away from Sam, Nora, me?" Dean's voice quieted.

"No, of course not!" Grace could not believe that he would even suggest it. They were her family at the end of the day. She knew that now more than ever, but she also was beginning to feel like she needed to move on and see what else was out there.

"Then what's your plan?"

"I've been thinking about taking some classes actually." Grace was trying not to be as aggressive as Dean was becoming, but she couldn't control the defensive edge to her tone.

Dean almost laughed, "And you say you aren't walking away."

"Dean I'm not." Grace stood firmly.

"Yeah? Really? What are you gonna take classes during the day and hunt in Sioux Falls at night? How's that gonna work?" Dean interrogated her. His face was almost touching Grace's as he looked down at her. She had never seen him this angry with her before. It startled her and she immediately regretted opening her mouth.

"I haven't thought it all through yet." Grace murmured.

"Yeah, I'll say." Dean condescended.

Grace took a breath as she turned to walk away from Dean. She did not want to say something she would regret and she didn't want to fight about the subject. The last two days had been enough of a toll on her mentally. This was just going to be one battle she couldn't participate in.

As she climbed into the drivers seat, Dean followed her. "What, are you already starting to leave it all behind now?" Dean taunted her.

"You're an asshole." Grace said, her voice shaky.

Dean took a step back, realizing how close to tears she was.

"To think you would've been a little bit supportive…how dumb am I?" Grace said as she put the key in the ignition and started her truck. Dean stood there fighting between being angry and hurt as he watched her begin to leave.

"Grace, I-"

"No Dean, you said everything you needed to."

She drove off without another word.


	17. Chapter 16

The funny thing about change is that you never really know how difficult change will be until you actually begin the process. After the nine hour drive, Grace was finally back in Sioux Falls. As she drove she went from angry to sad to regretful, but she hadn't called Dean to talk it out. Instead she tried to put her energy into what she should do next.

She arrived on the front porch and Bobby embraced her, giving her a warm welcome home. Grace relaxed, but she felt the weight of everything crashing into her. The feeling of not knowing what to do, what you're supposed to do, was tearing through her. The way Dean had spoken to and the words Lynn had told her would weigh on her mind. Was she making a mistake? With Bobby hugging her Grace finally let herself cry, her body shaking slightly. Bobby tensed for a moment, but only squeezed her tighter. He was not used to any overt display of emotion.

"Wanna to talk about it kid?" Bobby muttered.

She shook her head and stayed silent.

"Glad you're home." Bobby tried.

"Yeah, me too." Grace whispered.

"Want me to order a pizza?" He offered.

"Yeah…supreme please." Grace laughed.

"Go get cleaned up, it will be here when you come down." Bobby spoke with reassurance.

Grace took a breath.

At least she was back home.

OoOoOo

After a hot shower and dinner with Bobby, Grace went upstairs and began to sift through her belongings. She sat cross-legged on her bed and looked through photos. As far as she knew, there were only two pictures of her and John. One from when she was fourteen, right after a hunt. John is smiling his arm with his arm around her, pulling her in. It was like some abnormal father daughter moment. She remembered laughing before the picture was even taken because John was having difficulty setting the timer on the camera. Her body had been a little bruised, her limbs still shaky from the waning adrenaline rush. But it had been a successful hunt and Grace felt the rush.

The other picture, Ellen had taken of the two of them playing pool at the Roadhouse. John hustled from time to time and he taught Grace all he could. She had had no idea that Ellen was capturing a snapshot of the moment. Grace is focused on some maneuver John is trying to teach her. The photo was taken before his falling out with Ellen. But their lives went on.

"John…I miss you." She whispered as she stared at the photos. She knew to move on she would have to put the pictures where she was putting everything else, a tiny wooden box. The pictures of her parents were placed inside as well, along with a few other papers and notes that she did not want to remember anymore.

Grace sighed as she set the pictures down and closed the lid on the box. Grace lay back on her bed, her laptop beside her. She had submitted an online application as soon as she had gotten upstairs one week ago. She had sent an email regarding any summer classes that she could take. Now she just had to wait.

Her phone rang and her heart leapt and without hesitation she answered. "Hello?" Her voice was eager.

"Hey sparky, are you ignoring me?" Nora answered cheekily.

Grace sighed. She had received some texts from Nora, but had not responded just yet. She was trying to think of what to say, but she did not have the words. She knew Nora's life was going in a vastly different direction.

"No, not avoiding you. Just been busy, what's up?" Grace responded.

"Well I mean you haven't returned my texts and I know that it didn't go well with your aunt. I was just worried." Nora explained.

Grace sighed, "I'm sorry. I've just been busy trying to get everything sorted."

"Are you still with Sam and Dean?" Nora tried.

Grace bit her lip, "No. I'm back home."

Nora took a breath, "Well that doesn't sound good."

"It's all fine."

"Hmm…so what's your plan?" Nora asked.

"Taking a break from hunting." Grace was tired of talking about it. She was ready to just go to sleep and wallow around for a little bit. And yet it was difficult to.

"What kind of break?"

"A "no hunting for as long as it takes" break." Grace murmured.

"And how long is that?" Nora pressed.

"I don't know yet."

OoOoOo

"So you're going back to school?" Bobby asked as he cradled his beer can in both hands. They sat on the front porch of their home, the peaceful darkness welcoming them. The air had chilled somewhat so Grace wore a black jacket and was cozied up in a lawn chair beside Bobby. After showering, Grace decided she needed to talk to Bobby. She had said goodbye to a part of her life and needed some type of comfort.

She nodded, "Yeah, but starting slow. And I don't know what for yet."

"That's okay. It's a start."

Grace had kept relatively quiet about the visit with her aunt and her argument with Dean. She stared down at her phone again as she hoped Dean would call or text her, but she knew that wish was falling on deaf ears. They were too similar. They both became closed off.

"Well, do you think you'll stick with it?" Bobby asked.

Grace shrugged, "I'm not sure. This is all new, but I just need a break." Bobby nodded in understanding. "Maybe we should get a puppy?" Grace glanced at Bobby, a genuine smile on her face. Bobby shook his head, but could not hide his grin. The house was quiet without Rumsfeld and Grace missed taking care of something.

"Maybe once you are here a little bit more permanently." Bobby conceded.

Grace nodded, "Might be sooner than later?" Grace tried.

"Either way, I'm proud of you Grace." Bobby announced.

Grace raised her eyebrow, "Why?"

"It's been a difficult few months. You aren't letting you keep it down," he hesitated, "I am sorry about it not going well over in Illinois."

"It's okay, opened my eyes to some new changes that needed to be made."

"New jewelry too?" Bobby stared at the charm on her wrist. She gently touched the bracelet and sighed. Bobby would recognize the charm as the one he gifted to Sam and Dean.

Grace nodded, "Yeah. It was a birthday present."

Bobby's mouth remained in a flat line as she walked inside.

OoOoOo

Three days later Grace was signed up for an online math class and had some summer reading in order to be caught up for the following fall semester. The book list included novels she had never heard of before. But, she was told that her chances of being able to take classes in the fall were excellent.

She updated Sam and Nora with the news.

OoOoOo

"Hey Ash, what's up?" Grace put a piece of paper in her textbook as a bookmark and shut it. She spun around in her chair before she hopped up and landed onto her bed. It kept surprising her how much she was enjoying her new routine. She had always hated school, but it did not feel like that at all anymore. In fact she was looking forward to the coming months. Did it feel strange? Absolutely. But she was enjoying it nonetheless.

Ash's voice filtered through the phone with a resounding, "You are gonna love me more than you already do."

Grace laughed, "Not possible."

"I've been doing some research. I wanted to find out what was in Lawrence that has anything that can be related back to you. And I think I found it."

Grace faltered. She hadn't thought about any of this in nearly three weeks. She did not want to. Her life was moving on in a different direction. And as much as she wanted to be excited in this moment, she couldn't bring herself to be. This search for answers was not a priority at the moment and it might never be one again.

"Oh?" Was all Grace could muster up to say.

"Yes ma'am. Peter Noland owns a bar in Lawrence. It's called the Old Town Tavern. Looks like it's a haven for hunters." Ash explained.

Grace took a moment to realize who Peter Noland was and then remembered quickly. Her Aunt's ex.

"Grace?"

"That's great Ash. Thank you for finding this out for me." Grace knew the enthusiasm wasn't there.

"It's no problem really."

"Any word from Sam and Dean?"

"Not yet. Should be in touch with them in the next few days," Ash paused, "I've put everything you brought into another box. I thought you might want it back."

Grace hesitated, "Oh, when I swing by next I'll be sure to pick it up."

She wondered if this meant Ash had given up as well, because she certainly felt like she had. She and Ash small talked for a few more minutes before their call ended. She tossed her phone onto her bed and took a breath.

OoOoOo

Grace walked down the stairs feeling well rested. She had showered and braided her air and put on her favorite black and red-checkered flannel. The house was probably cleaner than it had ever been since she had spent the last two weeks trying to de-clutter everything. Considering everything, Grace was doing much better than she had thought she would be. Her relationship with Bobby was stronger than ever and she had hoped to try and apply for a job soon. It seemed like she was going to be staying in Sioux Falls for a while.

Her forehead creased when she saw Bobby's navy duffel bag by the front door. It was a sure sign that he was headed somewhere, but he hadn't mentioned anything. She heard some clanking around in the next room and Grace quickly made her way towards it. Bobby was quickly throwing some papers together and was already heading out of the room when Grace blocked him in.

"What's going on?" Grace asked. She could see that Bobby was leaving in a rush, his cup of coffee was still steaming on the desk and his newspaper was still open. She crossed her arms as she waited for an answer.

Bobby sighed, "Just got a call from Dean. Sam's missing."

Grace's arms dropped as she stiffened, "What? What do you mean missing?"

"I don't know, he just said Sam was gone. I'm going to meet him."

"That's not possible. I just talked to him yesterday. He was fine." Grace tried to rationalize.

Bobby took a step forward, "He'll be okay. I'll be back in a few days." And with that he sidestepped around Grace and made his way towards the front door. Grace stood there, dumbfounded, and then quickly sprung into action.

She followed him down the hallway, "Bobby, are you kidding me?"

Bobby stopped and turned to face her, "What?"

"You think I'm not coming?"

Bobby remained silent.

"Bobby, I'm coming! This is Sam we are talking about here. It's not just some random hunt." Grace felt like they were wasting time standing there.

Bobby hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"I'll throw some things in my bag and be ready. Less than five minutes." Grace promised as she began to run up the stairs.

"Grace, wait, I don't think you should come." Bobby tried to sound authoritative, but failed miserable. Grace swiftly turned to face him, hurt welling up in her chest. Bobby's opinion didn't matter, not in this case. She had made her decision and that was final.

"Why?" She glared.

"You've been happy these last few weeks. When you first got back, you were cryin' on the doorstep. And I may be old, but I ain't dumb, I know it's not just about what happened in Illinois. You are doing good here." Bobby told her sternly. He wasn't wrong and Grace couldn't argue.

"Bobby…it's Sam. I'm coming."

She ignored the look of disappointment and went to pack.

OoOoOo

Grace's stomach was a mess of knots when she saw the impala pulled over the side of the road. She had thought about Dean every day, but she had not really prepared for when she would see him again. She did not know if he was still angry or if he did not care at all. She couldn't decide which was worse.

Bobby pulled up in front of the car and came to a stop. Dean was leaning against the hood. He wore a navy jacket and a grey long sleeved shirt that Grace had seen a million times. Grace felt momentarily paralyzed as her gaze met Dean's. She couldn't look away. And she hated how she felt under his scrutiny. The weeks apart did not matter. Grace felt just as strongly towards him as ever. Her plan had not worked. The sound of Bobby closing the truck door shook her from her thoughts.

Grace climbed out of the car and walked towards the impala. Bobby was kneeling down and digging for something in his bag. Grace and Dean glanced at each other, unsure. She was angry that he hadn't been the one to tell her that Sam was missing. He clenched his jaw, looked as if he was about to speak, but instead moved towards Bobby.

"So explain what happened again?" Bobby asked, perhaps more for Grace's benefit than his own.

"We were at a diner and Sam ran in to get some food, I stayed in the car. He's taking too long so I go inside and everyone is dead. Throats slit. No trace of Sam. That's all I got." Dean explained hurriedly. Grace could not imagine what Dean was going through, but she knew he was desperate to find his brother.

Bobby nodded his head slowly as he laid out a map on the hood of the impala. Grace stood beside Bobby as she leant in, expecting to examine the markings that he had made. But it was all but blank.

"What is this?" Grace asked as she stared at the empty map.  
"All demonic signs and omens over the past month." Bobby told them.

Dean scoffed, "Are you joking? There's nothing here."

"Exactly."

Growing even more frustrated Dean said, "Come on, there's gotta be something. What about the, the, the normal, low-level stuff? You know, exorcisms, that kind of thing."

"That's what I'm telling you: there's nothing. It's completely quiet."

Dean shook his head adamantly. Grace knew this was suspicious and did not provide them with any answers.

"Well, how are we supposed to look for Sam? What, do we just close our eyes and point?" Dean bit out. Grace was about to speak but Dean's phone rang. He answered it without hesitation.

"Ash, what do you got?" He tried to hide his disappointment

Grace perked up at Ash's name. She wondered if he would be able to help at all. If anyone knew something it would be him.

"Oh, come on, man! You've gotta give us something. We're looking at a three thousand-mile haystack here." Dean spoke angrily into the phone.

"Well, what," Dean paused, "Come on, I don't have time for this!" He barked.

Grace felt the tension as Dean snapped his phone shut. He stuffed it back in his pocket and looked at Bobby and Grace.

"I guess we're going to the Roadhouse." Dean announced.

Grace didn't take another look at him as she retreated back to the truck. She had a sinking feeling in her gut.

She hoped they would find Sam.

And soon.

OoOoOo

Bobby accelerated as it became clear that the Roadhouse was no longer. Grace froze as she stared at the remains of the Roadhouse. He screeched to a halt and got out of the truck. Grace slowly followed suit and began to walk into what remained of the Roadhouse, the gravel crunching beneath her boots. Dean had gotten out of the car and was walking up behind her. She wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped through remains. There were bodies littered throughout, their skin charred and destroyed. The smell of firewood and flesh wafted through the air. When she saw Ash's watch her breath caught in her throat. Everything was gone, including all of the information she had brought to Ash. Now nothing was left, nothing at all.

"You see Ellen?" Bobby asked.

"No, she's not here. At least I don't think." Grace answered not knowing whether to feel worried or relieved.

"Damn it Ash." Dean shook his head. Grace glanced once more at Ash's charred body and walked out of the Roadhouse to stand by the impala. What were they going to do now? Why was the Roadhouse targeted in the first place? Grace assumed it had to be demons, maybe even connected to Sam somehow. Bobby and Dean walked out; Bobby came to stand by Grace. Dean stood on the other side of the impala, opposite of the two.

"This is…" Bobby began, but didn't know how to finish his sentence.

"What the hell did Ash know? We've got no way of knowing where Ellen is. Or if she's even alive. We've got no clue what Ash was gonna tell us. Now, how the hell are we gonna find Sam?" Dean stared at the two of them.

"We're going to find him." Grace murmured.

Suddenly, Dean grabbed his head and doubled over, a pained groan emitting from him.

"Dean?" Bobby asked.

And then Dean was standing back up and breathing heavily. "What the hell was that?" Grace asked.

"I don't know. A headache?" Dean guessed.

"You get headaches like that a lot?" Bobby asked.

Dean shook his head, "No. Must be the stress." He paused and chuckled, "I could have sworn I saw something."

"Like a vision?" Grace tried.

Dean became defensive, "What? No!"

"I'm just saying. Not like it's that far fetched considering everything." Grace shrugged.

"Come on, I'm not some psychic." Dean remained sure. And then he let out a grunt with his eyes scrunched shut. He fell against the car as he clutched his head once more. Grace ran over to him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Dean? Dean, can you hear me?"

Dean stiffened and he looked at Grace, "Yeah, I think so. I saw Sam. I saw him"

"It was a vision." Bobby spoke gruffly.

"Yeah. I don't know how, but yeah. Whew. That was about as fun as getting kicked in the jewels." Dean laughed. He registered that Grace hadn't moved away from him just yet.

"What else did you see?" Bobby questioned.

"Uh… there was a bell." Dean tried to explain, his face still contorted in pain.

"What kind of bell?" Grace pressed.

"Like a big bell with some kind of engraving on it, I don't know." Dean shook his head.

Bobby and Grace exchanged a knowing glance. "Was it a tree? Like, an oak tree?" Bobby already knew the answer, but asked anyway.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"That bell…he's in Cold Oak. It's a few hours away so we gotta get going now." Bobby told him.

"Cold Oak? Never heard of it."

"It's a ghost town. The town so haunted, everyone left." Grace repeated what she had been told many years ago. Dean looked at her and she saw a flash of fear in his eyes. He was truly worried about Sam.

Bobby cleared his throat, "Alright, let's go."

"I'm gonna ride with Dean." Grace was worried about him now. She wanted to be sure he was okay to drive. She tried to ignore the look Bobby gave her and noted Dean doing the same.

"Don't get too far behind." Bobby's voice was low as he spoke to them.

"You good to drive?" She murmured.

"Yeah, let's go." Dean responded.

OoOoOo

Silence loomed heavily between the two of them as they followed Bobby down the highway. Grace knew even with speeding there was still a drive before them. Grace stared out the window at the passing landscape. Pink Floyd played softly on the radio. "I didn't expect you to come." Dean was not instigating any trouble; he was genuinely surprised to see her. When she stepped out of Bobby's truck, he couldn't believe it. It had been a long while since they had last seen one another. He had heard from Sam that she had started a few classes. Relief washed over him when he noticed she still wore the bracelet he had gotten her. He hadn't contacted her at all because he wanted to give her space and time to figure out what she needed to do next. Even if the guilt was eating away at him, he stayed silent.

"When your family is in trouble, you come." Grace looked up at him.

Dean whispered, "I should have called you."

"Yeah, you should have." Grace could not help but let her frustration show.

"I just know you've been busy. Sam told me you've been busy with school," he paused, "Congratulations."

Grace eyed him wearily. She had missed him terribly, but she never knew what she would have told him if she were to reach out. Their last conversation he had been anything but receptive and now that her life was taking on a different direction, she was not sure how he would take it.

"Thanks Dean, but that's crap. I wasn't too busy to talk when I was hunting."

Dean sighed, "Last time we saw each other, we didn't leave on good terms."

"Dean, come on, we got in a fight. That doesn't mean I hate you," she took a breath, "It just hurt."

Dean tightened his grip on the steering wheel, "I uh, I overreacted. I just thought it meant you were leaving, you know, uh permanently."

They came to a brief stop at a stop sign. "I'm not going anywhere." She whispered as Dean stared down at her. Grace wanted to reach out, touch him, but decided against it. He slowly put his hand just above her knee sending electrical impulses aflame through her body. Grace could not help herself she put her hand over his. Déjà vu hit as she remembered what happened during her encounter with the djin.

"Thank you for coming." Dean murmured.

"We'll find him Dean. We will."

Dean was about to tell her how much he missed her, but he didn't.

Instead he ventured forward to Cold Oak.

OoOoOo

When they had arrived, night had fallen. Grace and Dean had pulled up directly behind Bobby and the three of them ventured into the abandoned town. There was no sign of anyone. And then they saw Sam moving towards them. Relief washed over Sam's face as he them approaching. He knew he was safe now that they had arrived. Rain had started to fall, creating a mist around them. She could see that Sam had been beaten up, a gash on his face, but none of that seemed to matter.

Just then, a man Grace had never seen before came from behind Sam.

"Sam, look out!" Dean yelled as he broke out into a sprint. Grace and Bobby followed suit as the man plunged a knife into Sam's back. Grace let out a scream as she raced behind Dean.

"No! No, Sam!" Dean caught Sam right before he fell to the ground. Bobby chased after the man, trying to catch him. Grace did not know what to do. She stood beside Dean, covering her mouth in abject horror.

"Whoa, whoa, Sam. Sam come on, let me look at you." Dean murmured frantically. Grace saw the blood pooling, soaking through Sam's shirt as Dean put his hand on the wound. Somehow Grace knew that Sam was going to die. No matter what she said or did now, he was going to die. Dean stared at his hand and his throat almost closed, that familiar sinking feeling coming back to him. Grace took of her jacket and began to wrap it so she could hold it against Sam to stop the bleeding.

Dean tilted Sam's face towards him, "Hey, look at me. It's not even that bad. It's not even that bad, all right? Sammy? Sam!" Sam's head lolled to the side, his eyes beginning to close.

"Hey, listen to me. We're gonna patch you up, okay? You'll be good as new. Huh? I'm gonna take care of you. I'm gonna take you care of you. I've got you. That's my job, right? Watch out for my pain-in-the-ass little brother?" Dean's resolve began to crumble. Grace saw the blood continuing to pour out and she knelt behind Sam. She had to ignore Dean's words and focus on the task at hand. Her legs were shaky and numb as she pressed her jacket into Sam's wound, hoping to stop the bleeding.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. Oh, God. Oh, God." Dean felt control slipping away from him.

When he yelled Sam's name, Grace let out a soft sob because she knew that Sam had slipped away. Dean held onto his brother and put his head in the crook of his neck and shoulder. Bobby came running back, but slowed to a stop as she saw the scene before him. He cleared his throat and cursed under his breath.

Grace rubbed Sam's back, "It's alright Sammy, it's okay."

"We have to move him." Bobby took a step towards them.

Dean didn't respond. Grace slowly put her hand on Dean's shoulder, "Dean, you and Bobby can lift him, keep pressure on my jacket, okay? I'll drive and get us somewhere and then we'll help him."

Without a word, Bobby replaced Grace and she took the keys from his hand. She watched as Dean and Bobby lifted Sam's lifeless body started to carry him. Grace ran ahead to the car and opened the back seat, and then she went to start the car.

When Bobby tried to sit in the back with Sam and Dean, Dean objected. "I've got him."

"I'll follow you Bobby, just be quick." Grace commanded as she climbed into the front seat of the impala.

She swallowed as she saw Sam's body laying still in Dean's arms.

Dean's focus never shifted from Sam.

OoOoOo

Grace sat on the front steps of the cabin when Bobby came out shaking his head. She had heard the yelling, but decided to stay outside. She did not want to leave Dean, but she couldn't bear to look at Sam. All she saw was her friend; someone she spent time with laughing and other times spent confiding in one another. And he was gone. The last few hours had been hell.

Grace let out a shaky breath and wiped preemptively at her eyes. Bobby took of his hat and stared down at Grace, "I'm gonna head out for a little bit. You want to come home with me?"

"I'll stay." Grace whispered softly. None of them had slept; if any food had been eaten it was not enough. None of them could think about anything else. Any self-care that needed to be done had been neglected. Grace barely moved to look up at Bobby. She was too sad, too worried.

Bobby squeezed her shoulder and went to leave. Grace grabbed onto the railing and stood up. She felt tired, weak from lack of sleep and food. How could she eat anything? She couldn't sleep in that house, but she couldn't leave either. Making her way inside, Grace walked towards the room where they had laid Sam. She saw Dean resting his head in his hands as he faced Sam.

He lifted his head up when he sensed Grace standing in the doorway. Dean cleared his throat and lingered by the bed. They both walked out of the room and stood in the kitchen, if you could call it that. She leaned against the counter while Dean stood in the doorway, his arms crossed.

"If you're looking to give me a speech, save it. I already got it from Bobby." Dean said without looking at her.

"I don't have a speech to give." She whispered.

Dean glanced at her and his heart sank. Sam meant too much to the both of them and he failed to protect him.

"I don't know what to do." Grace swallowed.

Dean walked towards her and Grace approached him willingly. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. What would their lives be like now? What was she going to do? Dean rested his head on top of hers.

"I can't do this again Dean. I can't. I want to be strong for Sam…and you, but I can't." Grace told him.

Dean held his breath. This was his job. He told his dad on multiple occasions that he would protect Sam and Grace. And he wasn't letting Sam die. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. He tried to soothe her by rubbing her back. Grace had no idea that his mind was whirring as he thought of his options.

"Gracie, Gracie it's going to be okay. We'll be okay." Dean told her. He kissed the top of her head gently. He glanced into the next room at the couch and saw two blankets folded, with a pillow on top.

"Not this time." She whispered.

Dean took her hand, "Come on."

"I'm not tired." She shook her head. Her voice was as feeble as the attempt to stay away. In truth her eyes were burning and they drooped more and more every time she blinked. There were deep bags beginning to circle her bloodshot eyes.

"Just for a little bit." Dean motioned for her to lie down as he put a pillow at one end of the sofa and then she followed the instructions. She kicked off her boots as they thumped onto the floor. He pulled the blanket up and wrapped it around her.

Grace began to close her eyes as Dean began to walk out of the room.

"Dean!" Grace called before he walked out.

He stopped and turned.

"He was proud of you."

Then turned to face away from him.

OoOoOo

"Grace wake up. Where is everyone?" Sam's voice woke her from her dreamless sleep. Grace opened her eyes and gasped. Sam was awake and talking to her, in fact he was kneeling directly before her. His cheeks were pink and his lips were no longer that deathly blue that would haunt Grace for months to come.

She sat up quickly, not knowing if this was real or if she had finally been brought to her breaking point. But something told her it was Sam. Her instincts told her to reach out and hug him so she did. She pushed her head into the comfortable nook between his shoulder and neck. Sam grunted, but hugged her back.

"Grace," he chuckled, "What's gotten into you."

She took a breath, "Oh nothing, just glad to see you. I was so worried."

Sam made a face but nodded, "Yeah, I mean, I think I got knocked out."

Just then Dean walked into the house and stood before them. Sam straightened up, but Grace stayed sitting on the couch. Dean stared at Sam as he made his way towards his bother. Grace watched the brothers embrace. Sam eyed Grace and she gave him a forced smile. Her heartbeat was so loud she could hear it in her ears.

"What happened to me?" Sam asked, a pained expression on his face.

Dean pulled back, "What do you remember?"

"I-I saw all of you, and then... I felt this pain. This sharp pain, like... white-hot, you know, and then you started running at me, and... that's about it." Sam was confused as he played back the memory in his head. Grace watched silently as Dean talked to Sam. Her mouth was dry and she wasn't sure she could talk if she wanted to.

"Yeah, that— that kid, stabbed you in the back. You lost a lot of blood, you know... It was pretty touch and go for awhile." Dean told him, his voice too steady.

Sam shook his head, "But Dean, you can't— you can't patch up a wound that bad."

"No, Bobby could. Who was that kid, anyway?" Dean changed the conversation.

"His name's Jake. Did you get him?" Sam perked up.

"No, he disappeared into the woods." Dean said.

"We got to find him, Dean. And I swear I'm gonna tear that son of a bitch apart." Sam spoke with such ferocity Grace tensed. Dean put his hand on his brother's shoulder and offered a polite smile.

"Whoa, take it easy, okay? You just woke up? Why uh…why don't you shower and then we'll all eat? You hungry?" Dean asked him.

Sam nodded, "Yeah."

"Great, great, bathroom is right up the hall." Dean told him. Sam nodded and smiled. Dean and Grace watched as he slowly moved down the hallway. Grace stared at Dean, expressionless.

Grace stood up slowly feeling lightheaded from lack of eating and seeing Sam alive again. She steadied herself on the arm of the couch. Dean took a step toward her to help, but she lifted her hand.

"Don't." She demanded.

Dean took a step back.

She took another breath and walked past Dean out onto the front porch. He followed her as she walked a few paces away from the house and stood by the impala.

The screen door closed behind him as he retreated into the house. Grace stepped off the front porch and Dean followed her. He kept his arms at his side, his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. She could barely look at him.

"Dean, what did you do?" Grace felt sick to her stomach. Despair ran through her as her mind raced. There were few possibilities. Dean left, Sam reanimated and was once more alive. Her heart sank as she began to think of what he could have done. Life did not come back without a price.

Dean stood, his hands in the pockets of his worn leather jacket. He was devastated looking at her. She wanted to be happy that Sam was alive again, and to a certain extent she was, but how could she truly accept it?

"Dean...tell me." Grace had to hear him say it, confess to whatever he had done.

"I couldn't just leave him like that. I needed to take care of him, protect him." Dean's voice was barely a whisper as he tried to reason not only with Grace, but also with himself. Grace took a shaky breath, disbelieving.

"Please." She looked at the ground.

Dean couldn't say it and she knew.

"You sold your soul. Your soul for Sam, right? " Grace was a mix between furious and heartbroken to such an extreme she knew she would never feel this pain again.

Dean swallowed but remained quiet.

Grace clenched her fists as she asked, "How long did they give you?" In the back of her mind she knew there was no way that they would give Dean Winchester ten years. Hell, they had only given John a day.

Dean paused, but finally revealed the truth, "One year."

Without hesitation, Grace turned from him aghast. She covered her mouth with her hands and tried to will herself not to cry. One year. And he would be gone. Just like her parents. Just like John. Never to be seen again. And he did it without warning her, preparing her. But what could have prepared her for something like this?

She felt him move behind her, his arms beginning to envelop her. Grace turned around instantly and with both fists hit his chest as hard as she could. She lost track of how many times she swung at him, but Dean stood still, his hands on her shoulders.

"You selfish bastard! How could you do this? How?" Grace yelled. She felt completely betrayed. Dean had accused her one month ago of running, leaving this lifestyle and now he was going permanently? She could not comprehend it and she could not accept it. Dean wiped a tear from his eye and gripped her shoulders a little harder. She did not realize her rapid, heavy breaths were making her light headed.

"What is Sam going to say? How did we all feel after John did the exact same thing?" Grace asked him.

Dean looked at her, his gaze stead, "You can't tell Sam. You can be angry with me all you want, but I will tell him when it's right."

Grace couldn't think anymore. She embraced him, letting herself cry. This was once scenario she had never imagined, but it was happening right before her and she doubted there was anything she could do. And yet, she was still going to try.

"I have to help you Dean." Grace said it in a way that she knew she was revealing how much she truly cared for Dean. She did not have to sit around and analyze her feelings. She knew how she felt about him and she had known for a long time. It was the pretending not to, that was the easy part.

Dean shook his head, "If I try and get out of this, Sam dies."

Grace hung her head against his chest. Was this it? One year left with Dean. And then she would live the rest of her life without him. What would it be like? She had never met someone who infuriated her beyond belief, yet made her smile and laugh like there was nothing wrong in the world around her. The few tender moments they had shared, she was not ready for those to be a thing of the past. She selfishly wanted more.

"You're going to leave me. Like everyone else." She said, her voice monotone.

"Gracie..."

"What could you possibly say that will make this feel better?"

Dean took a breath, "You'll be okay. This last month, we've been apart and look at all you've done. Getting away from hunting was the best thing for you to do." Grace took a step back. She was sick of everyone telling her what to do and what she wanted.

"I don't want any of that Dean, okay? I was wrong. I wish everyone would stop telling me what I want. I know what I want."

Dean looked at her and he couldn't help himself. Maybe it was the wrong question to ask, but he had to know.

"What do you want?"

Grace, without any fight left in her, admitted, "I just want you."

Without another thought he moved closer to her and slipped his hand behind her neck and pulled her in. Grace felt a rush as his mouth covered hers. He tasted like the whiskey he had been drinking throughout the day. She wanted to memorize this moment. He was here before her, his body solid and tangible beneath her weakened grasp.

When he pulled away, Grace stared at him.

"I'm going to save you Dean. I don't know how, but I'm going to." Grace said with more conviction than other words she had ever uttered before.

Dean looked down at her, "I'm sorry Grace. I'm sorry."


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N** : I'm really excited for the remainder of this story! I'm so grateful for everyone continuing to read, even though my updating is sporadic. But lately I've been trying to update more frequently! Thank you for all the follows. Drop a review and let me know what you think. Is there anything you want to see happen before part 1 of this story comes to a close?

OoOoOo

Sam was fast asleep in the backseat of the impala, is tall body awkwardly fitting into the backseat, but he somehow managed to look comfortable. Grace looked and felt like absolute shit. There was no way around it. She had showered and tried to eat a little bit, but she could barely stomach anything. Dean had kept his composure in front of Sam, which amazed her to no end. And now they were on their way to Bobby's.

"You know Bobby is going to freak out." Grace whispered quietly enough so as to not wake Sam.

Dean nodded, "I can handle Bobby."

Grace turned her head to look back out the window. After Dean apologized for what he had done Grace held him a little longer, not caring anymore. It was clear she had feelings for him and he had them for her. There was no way that she was going to let Dean go, not without a fight. She was going to pour herself into finding a way to save him in the next year. She was not sure it was possible, but she had to try.

Dean glanced over at her and saw that she was getting swept up in her thoughts. He murmured, "Hey, what's going on?"

Grace shook her head, "Just thinking."

"Grace, come on, everything will be okay."

"Yeah you always say that. I don't see the okay part in this scenario." She felt guilty for picking a fight with him, but she could not let the fact that Dean might be gone in the future change how she acted around him, at least in regards to their constant bickering.

Dean stayed quiet.

Guilt ripped through you so you reached over and put your hand on his knee. He looked over at you and attempted to smile. "I'm sorry Dean, okay?"

"Okay."

"I mean it." Grace couldn't explain why but she started smiling. She tried to find the sensitive part of his knee that would cause him to jerk away from her. Dean, tried to maintain a flat affect and glanced away from her. She shook his knee and grinned even wider and before she knew it the both of them were laughing. Grace was laughing so hard her sides began to ache.

"You are such a dork." He chuckled.

"Yeah but you like it." She muttered back.

Dean's expression became serious, "Yeah, yeah I do."

OoOoOo

"Always feels weird not knocking." Sam muttered as they walked into the house.

Grace glanced back at him, "I live here Sam." They made their way into the kitchen. Grace hopped up on the counter and let her legs dangly freely. Sam and Dean stood awkwardly in the doorway. Grace heard Bobby's heavy footsteps maneuvering down the hallway.

"Hey Bobby." Dean and Sam both greeted. Grace waited for Bobby to step into view and when she did Grace was not disappointed. The look on Bobby's face was pure astonishment. Dean tried to avoid making eye contact with him, which was honestly his best option.

"Sam. It's good to ... see you up and around." Bobby cleared his throat. He looked over at Grace who smiled sadly at him. Bobby blinked, not wanting to accept what was clearly happening before him.

"Yeah ... thanks for patching me up." Sam said gratefully. Sam patted Bobby on the shoulder and turned to walk further into the kitchen. Grace hopped off the counter and went to look for something to eat in the fridge.

"Don't mention it." Bobby muttered dumbly as Dean continued to stand there. Grace pulled out ingredients to make grilled cheese as Dean and Bobby fumbled awkwardly. It was painful to watch.

"Well Sam's better. And we're back in it now, so... what do you know?" Dean tried. Sam shot a glance at his brother and then to Grace. She just shrugged pretending not to know. She knew once Sam found out he was going to be angry with her yet again. "Anyone hungry?" Grace smiled tight-lipped at Dean and Bobby.

"Yeah, thanks Grace." Sam smiled at her.

"Don't have an appetite," Bobby bit out, "But I do have some information.

Demonic omens... like a frickin' tidal wave. Cattle deaths. Lightning storms. They skyrocketed from out of nowhere."

"Where at?" Dean asked interested.

"Mainly in Wyoming. Everywhere except for one place, Southern Wyoming." Bobby explained.

"What the hell is in Wyoming?" Grace muttered as she turned on the stove.

"Whatever it is, this one area is totally clean. It's almost like the demons are surrounding it." Bobby spoke seriously. Grace turned to look at him and she knew by the look on his face that something big was coming.

"But you don't know why?" Dean asked.

Reluctantly Bobby said, "No, and by this point my eyes are swimming. I got a map in the other room, maybe you two could take a look at it? Maybe catch something I couldn't?" Grace knew it for what it was, an excuse to be alone with Dean. And judging by the look on Dean's face he knew it too.

"Yeah, sure."

"Not a problem."

Bobby turned to face Dean, "Come on. I got some more books in the truck. Help me lug 'em in."

Dean looked at Grace and Sam before he followed Bobby out the door.

OoOoOo

"Grace, I didn't even ask. How are your classes, how have you been?" Sam seemed genuinely interested and somewhat guilty that he had not mentioned them up till this point. Grace leant against Bobby's rickety desk and nibbled on her grilled cheese. She was still processing that this was Sam sitting and talking to her.

She smiled at the bittersweet thought, "They were good. I just don't know if I'm going to continue. Might be bad timing and all that."

Sam frowned, "All this is gonna be cleared up soon. I can feel it. Then you can get back to it. It's been weird not seeing you a lot this last month."

Grace took a breath, but couldn't find the right thing to say. She was trying to act normal, even if she felt guilty. Sam bit the inside of his cheek and then said, "You know Dean almost called you about twenty times. And he asked about you too. He missed you."

Grace felt that familiar blush rise in her cheeks and she almost felt like she could cry then and there. She turned away from Sam and tried to control herself. Since when did she become such an emotional train wreck? Nowadays it seemed like she was doing nothing else but crying.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know that it might be about time for you and Dean to kinda have that talk. After we finish off the yellow-eyed demon." Sam told her.

Grace shook her and laughed softly, "Sam…aren't you tired of having this conversation."

"Aren't you tired of pretending that you aren't in love with him?" Sam countered. Grace stiffened. She felt like a schoolgirl when her crush found out that she liked him. Love was not a word she used often and it was not something she had ever felt in a romantic sense.

Grace turned to face him, "Anything on that map that can help us?"

Sam raised his eyebrow, but shook his head.

Grace was relieved when she heard the front door open. Without another word she left and made her way down the hallway. Sam followed her out the door. She caught a glimpse of Bobby's face and saw how serious he was. Grace ignored Dean's gaze and stepped into the kitchen. She gasped when she saw Ellen.

"You're alive?" Grace whispered.

Ellen nodded, "Glad to see you're okay too."

Bobby cleared his throat, "All right before we catch up, Ellen, come and take this." He poured some whiskey out of a flask he had for twenty years. He moved the shot glass towards Ellen. She scoffed.

"Bobby, is this really necessary?" Ellen asked.

"Just a belt of Holy Water. Shouldn't hurt." Bobby shrugged. Grace watched as she easily drank the holy water and was not surprised when nothing happened. Ellen sighed and shifted her focus back to Bobby.

"Whiskey now, if you don't mind." Ellen's voice was raspy. Grace motioned for her to sit down at the kitchen table. She had never seen Ellen look disheveled before now, a disbelieving look still lingered in her eyes.

"Ellen, were you at the Roadhouse? How'd you get away?" Grace asked as she took a seat at the kitchen table. Sam and Dean listened as Ellen began to explain.

"I wasn't supposed to. I was supposed to be in there with everybody else. But we ran out of pretzels, of all things. It was just dumb luck," she paused to take another drink, "Anyway, that's when Ash called. Panic in his voice. He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high. And everybody was dead. I couldn't have been gone more than fifteen minutes."

"I'm so sorry, Ellen." Sam murmured gently.

Ellen's eyes began to water up as she said, "A lot of good people died in there. And I got to live. How lucky am I?"

"Ellen, you mentioned a safe." Bobby chimed in.

"A hidden safe we keep in the basement."

"Demons get what was in it?" He pressed.

"No," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a map. She quickly unfolded it and placed it on the kitchen table. Grace saw the black ink tracings over the paper. Lines and X's were plotted carefully.

Dean took a step closer, "Wyoming again. What does that mean?"

Bobby took stared a little longer and then his eyes widened. He looked up at Grace and said, "Go grab the book in the second drawer in my desk." Grace could feel how serious he was and she quickly left the room. She wondered what Bobby had realized as she grabbed the heavy book from his desk. She had never even seen it before.

When she handed it to Bobby he immediately flipped through the old pages until he landed exactly where he needed to. "I don't believe it." He muttered as he set the book on the table. Dean crossed his arms as he stared at the pages trying to discern what it's contents meant.

"What is it Bobby? You got something?" Sam eagerly asked, his emotional involvement in this showing through his words.

"A lot more than that. Each of these X's," Bobby pointed to the marks on the map, " They mark an abandoned frontier church— all mid-19th century. And all of them built by Samuel Colt."

Dean perked up, "Samuel Colt— the demon-killing, gunmaking Samuel Colt?"

Bobby nodded, "And there's more. He built private railway lines," he pointed to the black lines on the map that connected each church. "It just happens to lay out like this." Grace had watched Bobby and grabbed a pen on the table. She began to connect the points on the map and she knew they had stumbled onto something big. Ellen shook her head in disbelief when she set the pen down. Grace leant back and looked up at Dean.

"Tell me that's not what I think it is." He murmured.

"It's a Devil's Trap. A 100-square mile Devil's Trap." Sam spoke what was in everyone's mind.

Dean chuckled, "That's brilliant. Iron lines demons can't cross."

"I've never heard of anything that massive." Ellen said.

"No one has." Bobby said.

"And after all these years none of the lines are broken? I mean, it still works?" Dean asked.

"They have to be." Grace said.

"How do you know?"

"All those omens Bobby found. I mean the demons, they must be circling and they can't get in." Sam answered. Grace felt like they had stumbled onto something too big for even them. But she knew what would happen next.

"Yeah, well... they're trying." Bobby muttered.

"Why? What's inside?" Ellen looked to the group.

Dean's expression was serious when he said, "That's what I've been looking for. And, uh, there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle." Grace looked at him and raised her eyebrow.

Dean rolled his eyes, "Hey I research." She smiled softly at his response.

Sam ignored them and said, "Well what's so important about a cemetery or... what's Colt trying to protect?"

Dean took a breath, "What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?"

"Now that's a comforting thought." Ellen shook her head.

"Could they do it, Bobby? Could they get inside?" Sam pressed.

"This thing's so powerful, you'd practically need an A-bomb to destroy it. No way a full-blood demon gets across." Bobby explained. That was at least a plus.

Then Sam said, "No. But I know who could."

"Jake." Grace answered for him.

"Whose Jake?" Bobby asked, confused.

Dean cut in, "That guy who attacked Sam."

Sam glared at the map and clenched his fists, "We have to go. And now."

"That's a about a nine hour drive." Ellen told them.

"Not the way I drive." Dean smirked.

"Alright. Ellen and I will take my truck, you guys follow. We leave in twenty minutes." Bobby directed them.

OoOoOo

"So this is it huh?" Grace sat in the backseat, but was leaning up between Sam and Dean. Sam was more focused than she had seen before, that he barely responded. She knew he was thinking of what was to come. He would have to face Jake again and who knew what else. Grace weary of what was going to happen, but it was unavoidable.

"I hope so." Dean muttered.

Grace let out a yawn and Sam looked back amused. Grace smiled sheepishly. "Grace, this could be the end and you're ready for a nap?" Sam playfully chided. Grace wanted to make a comment about not sleeping for the last two days, but she did not want to draw any more attention to that time.

"I need my sleep too Sam. We got nine hours." She winked at Sam who just laughed. She looked up at the rearview mirror and saw Dean studying her. She thought back to what Sam had said back at Bobby's and averted her gaze. She was not ready to think about that yet.

Right now there were more important matters to attend to.

OoOoOo

They had parked just on the outskirts of the cemetery. Grace was no longer groggy from her nap. Now adrenaline was beginning to course through her body. She grabbed a pistol and made sure it was loaded. Ellen, Bobby, Sam, and Dean all geared up as well. No one said a word as they began to walk into the sacred ground. It was a typical cemetery, headstones scattered throughout the dry grass. However, it looked completely abandoned as no upkeep had been maintained. The dirt crunched beneath their feet. They each fanned out to hide behind one of the many tombstones. Grace looked over to Dean and saw that he was waiting for whatever was coming, his body poised for action. It was so quiet and still at the moment, but any moment now, who knew what was going to happen? Grace tensed when she saw Jake walking towards the crypt. He looked anxious, scared even, but she could not allow herself to feel for him.

"Hey Jake." In two words, Sam's voice chilled Grace. She watched the shock that crossed Jake's features as he saw Sam before him. The four of them followed Sam and stood beside him, their guns fixed on Jake.

Jake blinked, "Wait... you were dead. I killed you."

Sam clenched his jaw, "Well next time, finish the job."

Jake scoffed, "I did! I cut clean through your spinal cord, man. You can't be alive. You can't be." Grace looked to Dean who was watching the exchange as closely as she was. He lowered his eyes, averting his gaze from her and Sam.

Bobby took a step forward, "Okay, just take it real easy there, son."

Jake countered, "And if I don't?"

Sam tightened his grip on the gun "Just wait and see."

A flash of humor rose in Jakes eyes, "What, you a tough guy all of a sudden? What are you gonna do— kill me?"

"It's a thought." Sam bit out.

"You had your chance. You couldn't." Jake condescended.

"I won't make that mistake twice." Sam told him and Grace believed him. It scared her. Jake was still human. Sam would not kill another human being. He wouldn't.

Jake began to laugh.

Dean's face hardened, "What are you smiling at, you little bitch?" Jake raised an eyebrow at him and then he turned.

For the first time Jake looked to Grace. She remained steady, ready for anything. Jake smiled a little wider and turned to Ellen. "Hey Lady, do me a favor. Aim your gun at her." He motioned to Grace.

Grace looked at Ellen who was shakily raising her gun and pointing it at Grace. Grace kept her gun pointed at Jake, but her eyes watched Ellen. Ellen looked as if she was trying not to raise her gun, but it was a futile attempt.

"See that Ava girl was right. Once you give in to it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn," Jake paused and looked at Grace once more, "Sweetheart, lower your gun." Grace suddenly felt the urge and couldn't help herself. She let out a grunt as she tried to raise it again.

"Let them go." Sam growled.

Ellen's teeth were clenched as she demanded, "Shoot him." Grace felt a brief period of fear. What if Ellen actually shot her? The only thing that stood between her and the bullet was Jake and he did not seem like he was going to be doing any of them any favors.

Jake was careless, "You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off. Now, everybody put your guns down. Except you, honey." Jake pointedly said to Ellen. Grace watched as Bobby, Sam, and Dean dropped their weapons. She huffed at Jake and hoped she would get the chance to at least punch him in the face.

"Okay. Thank you." Jake smiled. He turned around quickly and pulled the colt out of his pocket. Grace hadn't seen it for months and forgot that the gun was really that massive. Jake took a few more steps and then he was before the crypt. The colt acted as a key in a lock as Jake inserted it into the stony wall of the crypt. The next few moments passed in seconds. Grace heard shots and was afraid she had been shot, but she felt no pain.

Bobby had grabbed Ellen and Dean had pulled Grace out of the way. His body covered hers and she felt relief. Dean kept his arms around Grace, but turned his head back to Sam. He had shot Jake four times in the back. Grace could see that he was on the ground, Sam had moved to tower over him.

"Please... don't. Please." Jake had pleaded.

And then Sam shot him three more times in the chest. Blood splattered on his face instantly. Grace's mouth parted in surprise. It was overkill if Grace had ever seen one. Dean had tightened his grip on Grace's shoulders. Grace moved away from Dean to follow Ellen and Bobby. Bobby kept his eyes on Sam, weary. Grace couldn't help but look at Jake's now lifeless body. Dean watched as Sam wiped the blood from his face.

The five of them stared at the crypt, not knowing what to do. There were engravings on the stone and they had begun to spin in different directions. Grace stiffened when they suddenly dipped.

"Oh, no." Bobby was barely audible

Grace looked at him, "Bobby?"

"It's hell." Bobby said. Without further hesitation, Dean pulled the colt from the crypt doors. Bobby yelled for them to take cover. Grace sprinted behind the closest tombstone she could get to. She rested with her back against it and tried to catch her breath. The earth shook as the crypt doors opened and a black mass of smoke erupted. Electrical impulses filtered through the clouds as demons fled in different directions.

"What the hell just happened?!" Dean yelled.

"That's a devil's gate. A damn door to hell! We have to move, we have to shut that gate!" Ellen shouted at them. Grace knew an order when she heard one and she followed Ellen to close the door. It was impossible to ignore everything coming up from hell. It was not just demons, but ghosts as well. Grace slammed into one of the doors with all of her body weight. Sam came up beside her and helped her push the door closed. Ellen and Bobby were on the opposite sides. Grace felt like her body could give out any minute, but she could only focus on trying to keep the doors shut.

Then Sam screamed, "Dean!" Grace looked up to see the yellow eyed demon and Dean leaning up against a headstone. His forehead was bloodied, an open gash causing the cause. The door partially budged open more and Grace let out a guttural sound as she tried to close it. She felt helpless. She had to keep what was coming out, in, and she wanted to help Sam and Dean.

"Bobby, I have to help them!" You yelled as Sam was thrown against a tree.

Bobby stared at her harshly, "You stay here dammit!"

Grace struggled physically and mentally, but stayed put. She saw the demon speaking to Dean and then he raised the colt straight at Dean. Grace couldn't just stand there and she ran towards the demon. She heard Bobby yelled after her, but she had to ignore him. And then Grace thought she had lost her mind. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw John Winchester grabbed the demon. Except it wasn't John, not his human form anyway. The body that the demon possessed fell to the ground. The only thing that John held onto was a cloud of smoke. Grace watched as the two thrashed around.

Dean grabbed the colt with haste and when the demon entered the body once more, Dean already had the gun pointed at him. Dean cocked the gun and squeezed the trigger. The bullet penetrated the demon's heart and his body fell to the ground in an instant. Grace looked back and saw that Ellen and Bobby had closed the gate. She stood directly in the middle of the two duos.

John walked forward put his hand on Dean's shoulder. Grace felt her eyes beginning to tear up. She watched as Sam approached. He and John exchanged a nod. Grace wanted to call out to John, but she couldn't find her voice. John turned from both of them and then he settled his eyes directly on her. Her breath caught in her throat, but she remained steady. He came to stand before her, his body almost transparent. But he still looked like John. He smiled at her and she laughed softly, trying to fight back tears. John took one of her hands, the sensation cooling her skin. Her body shivered at the contact, but she squeezed back.

"I miss you." She whispered.

John continued to smile as he took a step back into a white, glowing light.

OoOoOo

Ellen and Grace leant against Bobby's truck as he continued to load up. Grace still could not fathom what she had just witnessed or that the demon was really gone. Ellen put her arm around Grace and hugged her. Grace was surprised at the contact. Her relationship with Ellen had been strained ever since her husband's death, but now it seemed like that was in the past.

"I want to see you around more Grace, okay? Don't be a stranger." Ellen told her.

Grace nodded, "Where will you go?"

Ellen shrugged, "Go find Jo. I need to be back with my family."

"Let me know where you end up and I'll come visit. I promise." Grace mustered up a smile.

Ellen cleared her throat and took her arm from around Grace, "Let's go see what those two are up to." Ellen said, referring to Sam and Dean. Grace bit her lip, but nodded. She wondered how Sam and Dean were doing. She was weary about Sam and anxious about what the yellow-eyed demon had said to Dean. She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets as she made her way to the Winchester brothers.

Once she got closer, she saw Sam's facial expression. And she knew he knew about Dean's deal. Grace and Dean shared a look, but said nothing. Ellen sighed, "Well... Yellow-Eyed Demon might be dead. But a lot more got through that gate."

"How many you think?" Dean asked.

"Hundred. Maybe two hundred. It's an army. He's unleashed an army." Sam shook his head.

"Hope to hell you boys are ready. 'Cause the war has just begun." Bobby conceded.

Dean smiled, "Well, then sounds like we got some work to do."

Sam looked at Bobby, "Bobby, can we crash with you for a few days? Just till we come up with a plan?"

Bobby hesitated for reasons Grace knew too well, but ultimately said, "Of course. We should head back now, be back by morning."

Dean tossed his keys to Sam, "You drive."

"What?"

Dean shrugged, "I'm tired."

"You coming Grace?" Sam asked.

Dean's eyes rested on her almost expectantly.

How could she say no?


End file.
